World Youth Skills Day: Vedanta Aluminium empowers over 15,000 youth nationwide through transformative skilling initiatives

THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

NEW DELHI, JULY 15, 2025

Marking the occasion of World Youth Skills Day, Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium, proudly announced the empowerment of over 15,000 youth across the country through its wide-reaching and transformative skilling initiatives. Designed to align with both local aspirations and national priorities, these programs span Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh, enabling inclusive growth and employment opportunities in rural and industrial regions.

Vedanta’s skilling strategy blends grassroots innovation with global best practices, offering hands-on training in more than 25 high-demand trades such as solar energy, hospitality, mobile repair, CNC operations, and more. The training modules are strengthened by robust post-training pathways — including industry-recognized certifications, assured job placements, and entrepreneurial incubation. Notably, over 70% of trainees across its centres have secured employment or started their own ventures, thanks to strategic collaborations with the Odisha Skill Development Authority (OSDA), NABARD, and sector-aligned partners like CEMS.

Vedanta has also successfully trained and absorbed more than 500 apprentices under the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) and 18 ITI apprentices across its various operational units. Its flagship Project Panchhi supports the higher education and employment of first-generation female learners from low-income households, while over 50 interns from the Prime Minister’s Internship Scheme are currently gaining hands-on experience at Vedanta plants.

Rajiv Kumar, CEO, Vedanta Aluminium, said, “At Vedanta, skilling is more than a CSR initiative — it’s a nation-building mission. We are not only generating livelihoods but nurturing confidence, self-reliance, and change leadership in India’s rural heartlands. Our programs are locally rooted and nationally aligned with key initiatives like Make in India, Skill India, and Aatmanirbhar Bharat. Human capital is the most powerful engine of socio-economic transformation, and we are proud to be fueling that engine across the country.”

In Lanjigarh, over 700 youth have been trained at two dedicated skill training centres, with more than 55% of participants being women. Backed by OSDA and NABARD, the centres offer training in hospitality, computer skills, welding, electrician services, crane operations, and more. An impressive 76% of participants have since secured employment or transitioned into entrepreneurship, advancing financial independence and gender inclusion.

In Jharsuguda, Vedanta’s VeDakshata — the region’s first residential skilling centre — has trained 162 youth, with a target to reach 500 over the next three years. More than 150 women have launched microenterprises across 35 villages through training under the Subhalaxmi Cooperative in areas such as tailoring, mobile repair, solar technology, and terracotta crafts. Vedanta also leads Project Vidyagraha, a digital education initiative benefitting over 11,000 students across 106 government schools.

Across the company’s mining operations in Odisha, 156 youth from 30 villages have been skilled in trades including assistant electrician, sewing machine operation, and food and beverage service. Encouragingly, 46 of them have launched their own businesses, underscoring the program’s focus on sustainable self-employment and community-level economic resilience.

In BALCO, Chhattisgarh, 1,414 youth were trained across seven trades in the past year. Around 72% of the participants were women. The initiative boasts a 78% success rate in placement and self-employment, with trainees now working at industry leaders like Ashok Leyland, Crompton, and Volvo Eicher. BALCO’s model is holistic, integrating soft skill clubs, guest lectures such as the Indigo Crew Initiative, and strong institutional partnerships. Since the launch of the Vedanta Skill School in 2011, the program has reached 22 districts in 11 states, solidifying its position as a cornerstone of workforce development.

In Vizag General Cargo Berth (VGCB), Andhra Pradesh, 90 youth, including 80 women, have been trained in collaboration with the Centre of Excellence for Maritime and Shipbuilding (CEMS), supported by the Ministry of Shipping and Waterways. With a 92% placement rate, trainees have secured jobs in companies such as Amazon, Wheels India, and Placement Park. Additionally, more than 75% have transitioned into micro-entrepreneurship, managing businesses like jute bag making and lacquer toy production. VGCB has also rolled out Project Shiksha, a digital literacy program reaching 1,200 students.

With an unwavering commitment to socio-economic empowerment, Vedanta Aluminium’s skilling initiatives are catalyzing large-scale transformation across India’s youth ecosystem. By embedding innovation, inclusivity, and impact at the heart of its programs, Vedanta is not only preparing a future-ready workforce but also enabling a generation of confident, capable changemakers to drive India’s growth story forward.