·         Competitions such as Mehandi design, Typing, and eco-friendly Model Making showcased creativity, technical proficiency, and sustainable thinking.

·         The event reinforced Ambuja Cements’ commitment to empowering youth with vocational skills, fostering confidence, and preparing them for the modern workforce.

Bengaluru 3 September 2025: Ambuja Cements, the cement and building materials company of the diversified Adani Portfolio, as part of its CSR initiative, marked World Youth Skills Day with enthusiastic participation from trainees across diverse job roles at its Skill and Entrepreneurship Development Institute (SEDI) in Nalagarh, Himachal Pradesh. The event created a platform for young learners to showcase their technical abilities, creativity, and innovation while reinforcing the importance of vocational training in shaping future professionals.

The celebration featured engaging competitions such as a Mehendi design contest for Assistant Beauty Therapist (ABT) trainees, a Typing challenge for Accounts Executive and Domestic Data Entry Operator (DDEO) trainees, and an eco-friendly model-making activity using waste materials for Sewing Machine Operator (SMO), Assistant Electrician (AE), and General Duty Assistant (GDA) trainees. Each contest encouraged practical application of classroom learning while nurturing creativity, resourcefulness, and digital competency.

Prize distribution ceremonies recognized winners across categories, with awards serving as motivation and encouragement to further strengthen their skill journeys. More importantly, the celebration instilled confidence in trainees and highlighted the relevance of vocational training in today’s evolving job market.

The successful observance of World Youth Skills Day at SEDI Nalagarh reflected Ambuja Cements’ continued commitment to empowering youth through skill development, fostering self-reliance, and preparing them to meet the demands of the modern workforce.

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Bengaluru, July 15, 2025: On the occasion of World Youth Skills Day, Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Hon’ble Minister of State (I/C), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Minister of State, Ministry of Education, Government of India, launched the week-long celebration of 10-year milestone of the Skill India Mission. Describing the journey as ‘Kaushal ka Dashak’, the Minister reflected on the transformative impact of the Mission and outlined the government’s roadmap for the future of skilling in India. Over the decade, through concerted efforts across skilling, apprenticeship, entrepreneurship, global mobility and traditional trades, MSDE has empowered more than 6 crore Indians to build a brighter future for themselves and for the country.

Shri Chaudhary highlighted how the Skill India Mission has turned India’s youth into a force of transformation, both at home and abroad. “Indian workers are known the world over for their hard work and discipline. The Prime Minister recognised this latent potential and gave it national direction through Skill India Mission. Today, it has become a powerful identity of New India,” he said.

He reflected on how skilling, which was earlier scattered across ministries, was unified under a single, coordinated effort that brought together government departments, the private sector, and civil society. “We adopted a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to ensure convergence, quality, and scale,” he added.

Over the past decade, schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) have trained over 1.64 crore youth, while more than 14,500 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) have been supported through reforms in quality, governance, and affiliation norms. Minister Chaudhary emphasized the need to enhance employability through trust, verifiability, and industry participation.

“Just as the National Education Policy (NEP) has been a game changer for the education sector, the upcoming National Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Policy will be equally transformative for India’s workforce. It will redefine the way we skill, upskill, and reskill our people—preparing them to thrive and lead in an increasingly dynamic global economy,” talking about the impending skill policy, Hon’ble Minister said.

He also spoke about the ₹60,000 crore ITI Revamp Scheme approved by the Cabinet, which will include ₹10,000 crore from CSR contributions. “We want to move beyond funding – we want the industry to shape the curriculum, certification, and training standards. This is how we create employable youth and make ITIs future-ready,” he said.

Shri Chaudhary also detailed the Ministry’s bold reform measures in ITIs, which include the de-affiliation of 4.5 lakh vacant seats over the last six years and ongoing action on 99,000 more seats that have remained unutilised. “In 2024, our ITI admission rate increased by 11%, showing that trust is returning to the system. We are committed to quality — not just numbers,” he affirmed.

The Hon’ble Minister also mentioned the 38th meeting of the Central Apprenticeship Council (CAC) which was held on 26th May 2025, key reforms were proposed to further strengthen and simplify the implementation of the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS). A significant step includes the proposal to increase the stipend support by 36%, enhancing the attractiveness of apprenticeships for youth and incentivizing greater industry participation. In a focused effort to improve apprenticeship engagement in the North Eastern Region (NER), the Ministry has also launched a special pilot scheme providing an additional ₹1,500 per month to NER-domiciled candidates undergoing apprenticeship training within or outside the region. These measures reflect the Government’s commitment to expanding apprenticeship as a mainstream pathway to employment and skilling, with a strong emphasis on inclusivity and regional equity.

“India’s youth are our greatest strength. As we march towards the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047, it is their skill, spirit, and innovation that will shape our collective destiny,” he said, extending his congratulations to every learner, trainer, and stakeholder who has been part of this journey.

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• Efforts aligned with Government of India’s “Skilled India” vision and youth-led nation-building

Bengaluru, July 15, 2025: On the occasion of World Youth Skills Day, Hinduja Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the 110-year-old Hinduja Group, reaffirms its commitment to equipping India’s youth with transformative, future-ready skills through its initiatives, in collaboration with the Hinduja Group companies. In a rapidly evolving digital-first economy, the Foundation’s focused efforts in education and livelihood programs are enabling India’s young population to thrive with purpose and confidence.

Hinduja Group’s impact across education and skilling spans a wide portfolio of initiatives. On the skilling front, nearly 1 lakh youth have been empowered through the Road to Livelihood (RTL) program and other dedicated initiatives like vocational training, enhancing digital fluency, communication, and workforce readiness. On the education front, as of FY25, over 7.4 lakh youth across 15+ states have benefitted from programs such as Road to School (RTS), Road to Livelihood (RTL), the Haryana Development Impact Bond, and other group-led education initiatives. While RTS and the Haryana DIB focus on foundational education, RTL bridges both education and employability.

Speaking on the initiative, Namrata Hinduja, Member, Steering Committee of Hinduja Foundation, said “At Hinduja Foundation, we see youth empowerment not merely as a programmatic goal, but as the cornerstone of nation-building. By nurturing well-rounded individuals equipped with skills, values, and vision we are laying the foundation for a future where every young Indian becomes a catalyst of a more inclusive, resilient, and progressive India.”

Speaking on the occasion, Paul Abraham, President, Hinduja Foundation, said, “With over 600 million Indians under 25, addressing youth skills is a national imperative. At Hinduja Foundation, we believe true empowerment comes from equipping youth with future-ready digital skills. By bridging the digital divide and nurturing grassroots innovation, we are building a generation that leads the digital economy with confidence, creativity, and purpose. The challenge also lies in helping youth understand issues like climate change, mindful resource consumption, and social inequalities and find meaning in addressing them.”

These efforts are deeply aligned with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship’s “Skilled India” vision and the Government of India’s Viksit Bharat agenda. They also echo the Foundation’s belief in youth-led nation-building. By fostering a generation that is digitally literate, socially conscious, and future-ready, Hinduja Foundation is playing a key role in realising the Government’s vision of a self-reliant and globally competitive India.

Through its flagship education initiatives, the Foundation has driven measurable impact across underserved communities, with Road to School and Road to Livelihood creating nation-wide change.

·         Reached 7,44,300 students

·         Covered 7,965 schools

·         Impacted 18,000 educators

·         Engaged 2,40,000 community members

·         Reintegrated 72% of dropouts

·         Enabled 15,464 students to transition from private to government project schools

Through its focused skill development efforts, Hinduja Foundation, alongside group companies has empowered underserved youth with future-ready skills, enhancing employability and digital inclusion across India.

• Benefitted approx 1 lakh youth through skilling initiatives, including Road to Livelihood (RTL)

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Vedanta’s skill development programs are closely aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) 8, namely, Decent Work and Economic Growth. They are designed and deployed in close partnership with leading knowledge providers. This is in line with the company’s aim to empower 25 lakh people with enhanced skillsets by 2030. Vedanta’s skilling & training centres footprint goes beyond 200 centres across India with more than 40 technical and non-technical trades offered to the youth including solar technicians, forklift operations, hospitality, sewing, finance, etc. The company’s skilling centres have a 91% placement rate with an average salary of INR 15,000.

According to the Ministry for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), among persons aged 15-29, only about 2% have received formal vocational training, and 8% have received non-formal vocational training in India. This suggests that very few new entrants to the workforce in this age group have any marketable skills. Comparative data for developed economies show that in Korea, 96% of the population has received formal vocational training while in Germany, it is 75%, in Japan it is 80%, and in the United Kingdom, it is 68%.

India is one of the youngest nations in the world, with more than 62% of its population in the working age group (15-59 years). Vedanta Group Chairman Anil Agarwal has repeatedly stressed on the need to reap this demographic dividend which is expected to last for the next 25 years. In a recent tweet, Anil Agarwal wrote, “…out of the 20 largest economies in the world, India has the youngest population. According to World Population Review, the average Indian is just 28.7 years old and 50% are younger than that. This is a huge advantage. Let’s invest in our youngsters, women and men, girls and boys. They will be world beaters.”

Amongst the various skilling programs, Vedanta’s noteworthy initiatives include Zinc Kaushal Kendra (Rajasthan and Uttarakhand), BALCO’s Vedanta Skill Schools (Chhattisgarh), Cairn Enterprise Centre (Barmer, Rajasthan), SESA Technical School (Sanquelim, Goa) and Vedanta ESL Skill School (Bokaro, Jharkhand). The Zinc Kaushal program spanning 6 districts of Rajasthan and Uttarakhand has trained over 8,000 youths comprising 45% females of which more than 7000 youths have secured jobs in India and abroad. Priyanka Kumari, a beneficiary from Zinc Kaushal Kendra said, “After my father passed away, I had to support my family with only a Class 12 education. Finding a job was tough until I discovered Zinc Kaushal’s skill development courses. Despite the challenges and societal biases, I enrolled in an Unarmed Security Guard course. My perseverance paid off, and I landed a job in a leading security company in Gujarat, earning ₹21,000 monthly with free food and accommodation. I’m grateful to Zinc Kaushal for unlocking my potential and transforming my life.”

Sabnam Parween from Budhibinor village, Bokaro, had to pause her education due to financial hardship, with her family surviving on meagre income. Her prospects changed when a mobiliser from Vedanta ESL Skill School introduced her to a free 3-month Solar PV Technician course, offering food, accommodation, and job placement. The training built her skills and confidence, leading her to become the first girl in her village to secure a job in the solar sector, earning ₹1.98 lakh per annum. Sabnam’s journey reflects the power of opportunity and the impact of skill development in transforming lives.

The Vedanta Skill School in Chhattisgarh, a 5-star SMART Centre accredited by the Government of India has been leading socio-economic transformation by upskilling over 12,000 rural youth in multiple technical and non-technical trades and providing 100% placement opportunities.

In addition to its skilling initiatives, Vedanta is investing in early childhood development and social infrastructure through the Nand Ghar programme, which has now scaled to over 8,500 centres across 15 states. These modern anganwadis provide nutrition, education, healthcare support and skill development to children and women in some of India’s most underserved communities—laying the foundation for a healthier, more empowered next generation.

Vedanta’s endeavours seamlessly align with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship’s vision to ‘unlock human capital to trigger a productivity dividend and bring aspirational employment and entrepreneurship pathways to all.

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