skeptic solutionsORION_Impact.pdfHDFC Bank funded the project, FUEL undertook the initial identification and counselling of unemployed youth and women, and Orion Edutech was responsible

This report outlines the impact of a partnership program of HDFC Bank, FUEL and Orion Edutech. The program focused on skilling 6300 youth from 125 villages across 21 districts in Uttar Pradesh, India. HDFC Bank funded the project, FUEL undertook the initial identification and counselling of unemployed youth and women, and Orion Edutech was responsible for implementation of the training programs.

The duration of the program spanned the financial year of 2016-17, intending to impart skills in the sectors of retail, beauty and wellness, healthcare, telecommunication, electronics and hardware, IT-ITES, textile and clothing, and tourism and hospitality. It sought to hone the skill sets of women and youth, opening up avenues for more employment opportunities, higher incomes and eventually positively impacting the socio-economic status of targeted villages.

A pre-post study was undertaken to gauge impact of the program. The data from the post-test reflects that out of the 6300 participants who enrolled for the skill development program, 6051 i.e. 96.04% completed the skill training and 5467 i.e. 86.77% were certified as skilled in the respective sectors. Majority of the trainees underwent training in retail and beauty and wellness. At the start of the program only a meagre 2.51% respondents were employed, with majority being either unemployed or still studying. In the post-test, 72.87% respondents were either employed or self-employed. 46.49% of the total employed and self- employed respondents were male and 53.51% were female.

The impact created is substantial and the high potential of the program is clearly exhibited by the post-test outcome data and stakeholder consultations. However recommendations have been included in the report to further streamline the program and have greater impact on the skilling endeavours of the country.

020305070912142025

Context - Skill India

Background - HDFC Bank

Partnership with FUEL and Orion Edutech

Implementation Details

Centre Details

Measuring Impact

Overview of Impact

Stakeholder Voices

End Notes

H D F C I M P A C T R E P O R T P A G E 0 2

Skill development efforts and their impact will determine if the demographic

dividend of the country will become an asset or liability.

More than 54% of the total population in India

is below 25 years of age and over 62% of the

population is in the working age group (15-59

years). Skill development efforts and their

impact will determine if the demographic

dividend of the country will become an asset or

liability. India lags far behind in imparting skill

training as compared to other countries. Only

10% of the total workforce in the country

receives some kind of skill training. Projecting

that by 2022, India’s working-age population

will reach 700 million, of whom, 500 million

will need to be skilled, the Government has set

a national target of skilling 500 million people

by then, allocating increased budgets for skills

development. It plans to increase the capacity

of training institutions to 15 million (currently

2.5 million), by setting up more Industrial

Training Centres (ITIs), encouraging the

private sector to engage in vocational training,

and expanding tertiary education (GOI, 2009).

Skill training cuts across multiple sectors and

requires the involvement of diverse

stakeholders such as multiple government

departments at the centre and state levels,

private training providers, educational and

training institutions, employers, industry

associations, assessment and certification

bodies and trainees.

Seventeen Ministries of the Government of

India are presently engaged in undertaking

different training initiatives. The National Skill

Development Corporation (NSDC) has been

set up to enable skills-related training through

its private-sector partners. From big

corporates to NGOs, or educational

institutions to social entrepreneurs, there has

been a growing interest among organisations

to align with the NSDC to start sustainable

skill development ventures.

“If we have to promote the development of our country then our mission has to be skill development and skilled India.” - Shri. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India

Since its inception, HDFC Bank has strived to develop and advance

communities, especially the socio-economically marginalized, and

reduce the negative impact of its operations on the environment. In

2014, it devised its own CSR policy to guide its interventions for the

development and empowerment of the socially, economically and

physically vulnerable groups and communities.

Skill development is a key focus area under Corporate Social

Responsibility (CSR) commitments and investments of HDFC Bank.

HDFC has formed several partnerships to strategise and implement

impactful skill development programs across the country.

The organisation has partnered with BAIF Agro India to conduct

agriculture based community skill development programs. The

partnership with Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) focuses on

training students in the state of Chhattisgarh on soft skills. The

m-ASHA programme is an integrated mobile solution for farm based

training, while the collaboration with Aroh Foundation works on

building of enterprises and provides employment linked skilling and

training to the women.

Skill development programs have reached 16000

households across six Indian

States

In association with FXB India Suraksha, trainings are offered in varied fields from bee keeping to

broom making, creating entrepreneurs in the hills of Meghalaya. The ‘Hunar’ programme,

implemented through Navrachna Mahila Vikas Trust in Maharashtra, trains youth in fields of

IT, retail and hospitality. HDFC also supports The Leprosy Mission Trust India to train youth in

self employment, fabrication, organic farming, food preservation, plumbing and masonry.

They have also partnered with the MLD Trust, to acquaint farmers to organic farming methods

and effective farming practices. Other programs focus on building women farmer groups,

establishing agro resource centres, mobile handset repairing & servicing, fashion designing &

cosmetology, food processing and value added handloom & handicrafts, farm trade training for

mushroom cultivation & marketing, among others.


To further its mission of imparting skills to youth and women in the country, HDFC Bank collaborated with FUEL and Orion Edutech. The program was implemented in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

FUEL, standing for Friends Union for Energising Lives, was the career counseling partner for the skill development program. It was founded as a non-profit organization in 2007 in Pune, Maharashtra. FUEL believes that effective career guidance has the power to enhance human potential. They work with Indian rural youth across 11 states and enable them to pursue a career which is in line with their aptitudes, interests and capabilities.

FUEL implements two programs for youth skill building and development –

(i) Career EduConnect which is focused on students studying between standards 8 and 10. It attempts to bridge the information gap on career choices, higher education and scholarship facilities.

(ii) Ahead Of Times (AOT) program which is focused on students studying between standards 11 and 12. It provides them with inputs on personality development and soft skills like effective communication, verbal ability, resume writing, analytical thinking, interview etiquettes, leadership etc. It also exposes youth to employment opportunities through job fairs, matching youth skills to industry needs etc.

Through strong partnerships with skill training organizations associated with NSDC and with support from leading philanthropic and CSR foundations, FUEL has reached out to 9,00,000+ students from 3500+ schools across 11 states of India.

FUEL conducted the career counseling of 10,000 candidates in Uttar Pradesh and based on their eligibility and interest, shortlisted 6,500 for the skill development program.

Overview of Uttar Pradesh demographics

Source: (Government of Uttar Pradesh , 2016)

Number of districts: 75 16.17% of India’s population reside in this state, making it the most populous Indian state Gender composition in population: 52.28% male, 47.71% female 22.33% of the total state population are categorized as ‘main workers’ Majority of the ‘main workers’ are engaged in farm and agricultural labour


Orion Edutech, an NSDC partner company, has been operational since 2007 in Kolkata, West Bengal. It has a vision to be the most preferred and sought after provider of training and development services for business, soft skills and placement. It is affiliated to 17 Sector Skill Councils (SSC) and also partners with other government ministries and departments, corporates, industrial bodies and educational institutions.

Orion Edutech set up 38 Kaushal Vikas Kendras i.e. skill development centers across 21districts of Uttar Pradesh. Trainings spanned eight different sectors, preparing participants for different types of jobs.

MONTHLY RATES

200+ training centers established across India (24 states) and Africa More than 2,30,000 individuals skilled More than 1,60,000 of total skilled individuals placed in jobs


The skill trainings under all eight sectors

were designed as per the guidelines of the

respective Sector Skill Councils (SSCs).

Orion Edutech was responsible for the

implementation of the program.

Implementation flowed through the

following stages -

COMMUNITY MOBILISATION

To create awareness and mobilize individuals for

the skill development program, different

mobilization strategies and tools were used.

Mobilization strategies

(i) Kaushal Vikas Yatras i.e. skill development

processions were conducted across 80 villages in

12 districts. Through the yatras the importance of

skilling for the development and progress of rural

youth was explained.

(ii) Seminars and discussions on the skill

development program were held during village

panchayat meetings in more than 70 villages. The

objective was not only to orient the village

community members on the skill development

program, but also to convince village leaders on

the importance of skilling and thus make them

advocates for skilling at the village level.

(iii) Obtaining details from the database on

unemployed individuals from local panchayats

and District Employment Exchanges. Unemployed

individuals, especially youth, were contacted and

briefed about the program.

(iv) Sessions in schools and colleges were

conducted to orient students on the skill

development program

Mobilization tools (i) Information, education and communication (IEC) material like banners, posters, pamphlets etc. (ii) Program promotions like roadshows, street plays etc. (iii) Awareness sessions and discussion platforms

Mobilization of enrolled trainees The largest proportion of trainees were mobilized by the village leader. This highlights the success of the strategy to make village leaders advocates of the skill development program. 44.32% were mobilized through program promotions like road shows and IEC material like posters and banners.

CAREER COUNSELLING AND ENROLMENT Orion Edutech mobilized 12,000 individuals from 125 villages across 21 districts of Uttar Pradesh.

Out of the mobilized individuals, 10,000 underwent a career counseling and aptitude test conducted by FUEL. The objective was to shortlist candidates, based on their aptitude and interest for the sector in which they wanted to be skilled. Post the career counselling and aptitude test, 6500 individuals were shortlisted and 6300 enrolled to be trained under the skill development program.


The purpose of these steps prior to enrolment

was to ensure that the program was reaching

out to individuals who were not only in need of

skill training, but would also be able to

successfully undergo the theoretical and

practical components of training.

ORIENTATION AND INDUCTION

Once enrolled, an orientation session was held

for the trainees to induct them to the skill

development program. Through the orientation

trainees were briefed on

• The training process and outcomes

• Minimum requirement of 85% attendance

(monitored through bio-metric system)

• Assessment and certification process

• Post-training placement process

The trainees were also provided with education

kits including course materials designed as per

SSC guidelines.

DELIVERY OF TRAINING

Training for each sector was conducted over a

period of three months by Orion Edutech’s

certified trainers. All training content was

developed as per the National Skills

Qualification Framework (NSFQ) standards and

SSC guidelines. Apart from ‘domain training’ i.e.

sector specific training, all trainees were also

trained in the following components

• Soft skills

• Financial literacy

• Digital literacy

• Entrepreneurship training

Another critical component of the skill training

was guest lectures from industry experts and

industrial/field visits. Efforts were made to

constantly back theoretical inputs with

practical exposure. This was done to orient

trainees to the job roles and expectations of the

sector.

ASSESSMENT AND CERTIFICATION

The respective SSCs were in-charge of

assessments and certifications. On completion

of the training, assessments were conducted for

trainees who met the minimum attendance

requirement (85%). Those who were successful

in the assessments, were certified as skilled by

the respective SSC and could participate in

Orion Edutech’s post-training placement

process.

ON THE JOB TRAINING (OJT) AND

EMPLOYMENT/SELF EMPLOYMENT

ASSISTANCE

OJT and employment/self-employment

assistance was facilitated by Orion Edutech’s

placement team.

Trainees were supported through -

1. Employment

- Organizing job fairs/rozgar melas – More than

60 job fairs were organized and it saw

participation from 100+ employers

- On campus and off campus employment drives

2. Self-employment

- Handholding support for trainees aspiring to

set-up their own business

- Assisted to avail the benefits ofPradhan

Mantri Mudra Bank Loan Yojana i.e. a scheme to

support small business owners with micro-

credit upto Rs. 10 lakh

POST PLACEMENT TRACKING

Orion Edutech has in place a post-placement

tracking mechanism. The objective is to sustain

the impact of skill training for trainees.

Additionally, it also addresses any on-the-job

challenges for trainees as well as any difficulty

faced by employers/employing organizations.

This is facilitated through

• Regular interaction with employers and


38 Kaushal Vikas Kendras i.e. skill development centers were set-up across 21 districts of Uttar Pradesh. The centers covered a total of 125 villages.

The maximum number of centers were set-up in the district of Varanasi. Across the 38 centers, the highest rate of enrollment was seen at Barabanki.

To manage the relatively large number of trainees, Barabanki center also had the highest number of trainers and guest trainers. The average rate of enrollment across all centers is 166, with the average number of trainers being six and guest trainers being five.

All training centers are equipped with: • Domain labs • Theory rooms • IT labs with internet facility • Counselling room • Placement cell • Toilets for girls and boys

KAUSHAL VIKAS KENDRAS

AVERAGE PARTICIPANT ENROLMENT PER CENTRE



M e a s u r e m e n t s h o u l d b e v i e w e d a s a p r o c e s s w h e r e b y t h e g r e a t e s t v a l u e i s a c h i e v e d t h r o u g h o r g a n i z a t i o n s b u i l d i n g u p a n d l e a r n i n g f r o m d a t a a n d e v i d e n c e o v e r t i m e .

For any social development program to be sustainable and achieve its desired impact as well as to identify

potential areas for scaling up, timely and scientific assessments of its impact are paramount. With this

objective, an impact assessment of the skill development program was conducted. The research assessed

the short and medium term impact outcomes among trainees, since it was conducted just after program

completion and long term impacts could not be explored.

Intended social impact has been portrayed through the program’s logic model.

Specific objectives of the impact assessment were as follows –

• Understand the effectiveness of the program on trainees

• Analyze the increase in availability of employment opportunities for trainees post the training

• Measure growth in personal income of trainees post the training

• Gauge the level of satisfaction among trainees on different training components and accordingly

identify areas of improvement

• Garner feedback on the program from all key stakeholders –trainees, parents, trainers, local leaders,

employers

METHODOLOGY

To determine if the skill development program had any impact, a pre-test and post-test design was

adopted. This was identified as the preferred method since the primary objective of the impact

assessment was to evaluate the degree of change occurring as a result of the program.

INPUTS OUTPUTS SHORT-TERM

OUTCOMESMEDIUM-TERM

OUTCOMESLONG-TERM

OUTCOMES

• Funding • Partnership with Orion and FUEL • Training Program • Post- training placement and support

• No. of training programs • No. of people trained • Level of attendance • No. of people placed in jobs

• No. of people certified • No. of new jobs • Increase in opportunities to avail of skill training

• Percent of retention in jobs •Improvement in household incomes• Shift in rural areas from traditional to tertiary sectors of employment

• Improvement in type of jobs • Improvement in quality of life • Upliftment of socio- economically vulnerable communities


TOOLS FOR DATA COLLECTION

A structured interview schedule was administered to trainees during both the pre-test and post-test.

Additionally, semi-structured interviews were held with trainees as well as other stakeholders like family

members, trainers, local leaders and employers. The inputs were used to develop case-studies and

narratives to further emphasize on program impact and document feedback.

SAMPLING

A 100% sample was taken up for the post-test and pre-test.

The decrease in the number of respondents who participated in the post-test can be attributed to course

drop-outs. However, all variables in the post-test like placement and employment levels, changes in

personal income and profits etc. have been calculated against 6300. This is to ensure that the statistical

analysis remains uniform across the pre-test and post-test. For the semi-structured interviews, a fixed

number of respondents were decided to cover different stakeholders.


T R A I N E E D E T A I L S

675

1,350

2,025

2,700

19 to 2

1

22 to 2

4

25

to 2

7

28 to 3

0

31 to 3

3

34 to 3

6

37 to 4

0

0

750

1,500

2,250

3,000

Belo

w 8

th

8th

-10

th

11th

-12

th

College d

ropout

College g

raduate

Post

gra

duate

Dip

lom

a

Oth

ers

0

975

1,950

2,925

3,900

Less

than 4

5 to

6

7 to 10

More

than 10

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

Belo

w 8

th

8th

-10

th

11th

-12

th

College d

ropout

College g

raduate

Post

gra

duate

Dip

lom

a

Oth

ers

0

Majority of the trainees who participated in the

skill training fell between 19 and 24 years of age.

The participation of those below 19 years of age

is fairly less and there is a consistent decline in

participation post 24 years of age.

The data reflects that maximum trainees had

completed or had pursued their higher secondary

education (standard 11th-12th). Those who had

completed education up to standards 8 or 10 and

college graduates also saw a fair representation

in the data. Very few trainees were college

dropouts and even fewer had completed their

post-graduation.

In the pre-test, 61.14% trainees said they lived in families comprised of five to six members.

The highest educational qualification in families of most trainees was either higher secondary education or

graduation.

From the data on age and education it can be inferred that individuals, both male and female, whohave just completed school show more interest in skilling, up-skilling or re-skilling as a way to find employment and improve their income earning capabilities.


OUR

PERFORMANCE

Strong relationships have been formed with Government departments since the program has strategically been aligned with national priorities of the ‘Skill India Mission’. Provision of employment is central to prosperity and well being of communities and this has led to positive impressions of HDFC Bank’s social commitments, among its stakeholders. Moving beyond urban settings, this program has been able to reach communities in rural India, strengthening relations with rural customers (existing and prospective), creating positive brand recall.

The program relied on extensive mobilisation techniques and events, to encourage people to enrol for the program. Road shows, awareness sessions at educational institutions, community meetings etc. were undertaken. HDFC branding and skilling efforts was displayed at all venues and on all communication collateral. Through various means 12,000 individuals were mobilized across 125 villages. The education kit distributed to trainees was also another means of communication and branding for HDFC bank.

The program aimed to enable vulnerable communities to avail of skill training programs, improve their skill sets and increase opportunities for jobs, with the eventual goal of increasing incomes and quality of life of the trainees of the program.

The following impacts have broadly been observed- 1. Women have increased opportunities to avail of skill training 2. Skill training has the potential to improve socio-economic conditions of vulnerable communities 3. Skill training enables the rural populace to shift from traditional to tertiary sectors of employment 4. More job opportunities are available to trainees owing to acquisition of new skills 5. Skill training empowers people to improve household incomes

S T A K E H O L D E R R E L A T I O N S H I P S

V I S I B I L I T Y A N D O U T R E A C H

S O C I A L I M P A C T

FIG. 1 COMPANY GROWTH RATE

FIG. 2 COMPANY SELLOUT

A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 1 9

Out of the 6300 trainees in the pre-test, the female gender had a larger representation i.e. 54.13%. This

was maintained in the post-test, in spite of a 3.96% drop-out rate.

83.55% of the trainees stated that their families’ monthly income did not exceed Rs. 10,000. The overall

income-related data is indicative of the fact that majority of the trainees who were part of the training

belonged to economically vulnerable families.

92.39% of the trainees belonged to the Hindu religion. Islam, Christianity and Sikhism saw a minor

representation. With respect to caste and class, a little less than half i.e. 52.71% were from the Other

Backward Classes (OBC), followed by those from the general/open class. This highlights that the

program should focus on increasing enrolment of minority groups and socio-economically vulnerable

communities.

“I was already working in the beauty and wellness sector prior to the training. However, I had not undergone any skill training and my knowledge was limited. After participating in the training at Orion Edutech on beauty and wellness there has been an increase in my knowledge on different components related to beauty and wellness. The training exposed me to new concepts about which I was not aware." - Neeta Gupta (28), Mausali, Barabanki

1 . W O M E N H A V E I N C R E A S E D O P P O R T U N I T I E S T O A V A I L O F S K I L L T R A I N I N G

2 . S K I L L T R A I N I N G H A S T H E P O T E N T I A L T O U P L I F T V U L N E R A B L E C O M M U N I T I E S

The training was a platform for women to learn skills that would enhance their employability and earning capacity.

Neeta Gupta testifies on how the skill training helped her build on existing skills

1,325

2,650

3,975

5,300

Less than 10,000 10,000-15,000 15,000-20,000 More than 20,0000



A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 1 9

To understand how the skill training is capacitating the rural population to secure employment in the

tertiary sector and move out of agriculture and agriculture-related occupations, the data is analysed at

two levels.

- Skills and employment in the ecosystem of trainees

Majority of the trainees stated that their family members are primarily engaged in farming and farm-

related labour. Employment in the service sector showed meagre trends.

“I received training in beauty and wellness as well as in IT-ITES. As a child I was infected with polio in both feet, making me dependent on crutches. After my father lost his hand in an accident he was unable to work. This resulted in a major financial crisis for our family and I had to quit school in 9th grade to support my family. My poor health condition combined with lack of education made it very difficult for me to get a decent job. At this time a family acquaintance informed me about the skill training programs offered by Orion Edutech. After getting all the details I decided to join the course. The training has not only equipped me with employability skills, but also made me more confident to enter the job market." - Baby Shabnam (20), Barabanki city

3 . S K I L L T R A I N I N G E N A B L E S T H E R U R A L P O P U L A C E T O S H I F T F R O M T R A D I T I O N A L T O T E R T I A R Y S E C T O R S O F E M P L O Y M E N T

On basis of the data presented it is fair to state that while the skill training has been successful in reaching out to economically vulnerable individuals and communities, more emphasis needs to be given to the inclusion of religious minorities and social marginalized communities in skill development.

Baby Shabnam talks about the impact the training has had in her life

OBC

54%

SC

11%

General

35%

OBC 56%

SC 12%

Others 1%

General 31%



A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 1 9

- Previous skill training and employment of the trainees

Only 0.35% of the trainees had undergone some form of skill training prior to enrolling for the skill

development program. After the skill training, out of the 6300 participants who enrolled for the skill

development program, 96.04% completed the skill training, 86.77% were certified as skilled in the

respective sectors and 72.87% were placed in jobs. Majority of the trainees underwent training in the

sectors of either retail or beauty and wellness. This has capacitated trainees to seek employment in

sectors outside that of agriculture and agriculture-related labour.

The data to gauge the extent to which the families of trainees were already exposed to the sectors in which skill training was to be conducted showed a negative trend. 96.54% trainees said that none of their family members were employed in or exposed to the related sectors.


Exposure to skill training and employment was negligible or non-existent in the ecosystem of the trainees. Agriculture and agriculture-related labour was the primary source of employment and income. In this sense the trainees were the first generation learners of non-agricultural tertiary trades linked to the knowledge economy. Moreover, the skill training was primarily conducted with individuals who had little or no exposure to skilling. It is evident from the data that there has been a substantial increase in the number of trainees who were skilled before and after the training. The skill training has created a workforce that is aligned to meet the needs and demands of employment in the tertiary sector.

To summarize the impact of the skill training on creating job opportunities has been significant. There has been a 70% increase in the availability of employment opportunities for trainees post the training. It can be inferred that the training equipped trainees with skills – both soft skills and sector-specific skills – that stood them in good stead in the job market. It is also important to note that there is no gender- related deviance in placement and employment opportunities.

“I come from a family of five members. On successfully completing skill training in retail from Orion Edutech, I secured a job at Sri Ram Life Insurance. I joined the course with a hope to learn skills that will help me get better job opportunities. I found the training of soft skills to be very useful and believe that it has helped me approach people and prospective employers with more confidence and ease.”

- Ravi Varma (20), Chilauki, Barabanki

“I participated in the IT-ITES skill training offered by Orion Eductech. I did not know a lot about computers and computer application and was certain that training in the sector would increase my employability. Although I got this current job through my own efforts, the training in IT-ITES helped me secure a better salary. The focus on soft skills in the course of the training made me more confident during interviews, something that would not be possible otherwise." - Yaseer (25), Soypur, Varanasi

Skill training capacitated Ravi to enter the formal job market

Employability enhanced through skill training in IT-ITES

4 . I N C R E A S E D J O B O P P O R T U N I T I E S A R E A V A I L A B L E T O T R A I N E E S O W I N G T O A C Q U I S I T I O N O F N E W S K I L L S

In the pre-test, only a meagre 2.51% of the trainees were employed, with majority being either

unemployed or still studying.

The impact of the training on making available increased job opportunities to trainees is evident in the

post-test data. In the post-test, 72.87% trainees were either employed or self-employed. 73.38% of the

total trainees placed were employed and 26.61% were self-employed .


Skill training capacitated Ravi to enter the formal job market

Employability enhanced through skill training in IT-ITES


5 . S K I L L T R A I N I N G E M P O W E R S P E O P L E T O C O N T R I B U T E T O T H E F I N A N C I A L S T A B I L I T Y O F T H E I R H O U S E H O L D

With majority of the trainees being unemployed or still studying prior to undergoing the skill training,

those with a monthly income or profit were also a small number. Increase in the rate of employment

post the training is coupled with an increase in the number of trainees with monthly earnings.

While the number of trainees with personal earnings in the pre-test accounted for accounted for

17.97%, this figure increased to 80.68% in the post-test. Post the training, majority of the trainees

noted that they secured a monthly income or profit ranging between Rs. 5000 and Rs. 10,000.

Between the pre-test and the post-test there is a 62.71% increase in the number of trainees with personal earnings. Even though the skill training has increased the capacity of trainees to earn, majority of them are still restricted to a monthly income between Rs. 5000 and Rs. 10,000 – similar to the already existing income levels of their family.However, the personal income of the trainees contributes to the family income and has thus improved the financial status of the family.

“I participated in Orion Edutech’s skill training on retail. On completion, I set up my own business in seed and fertilizer trading. My business has secured for me a monthly profit between Rs. 12,000 and Rs. 15,000. Apart from theoretical knowledge, the skill training has increased my confidence and enhanced my personality. For me the most beneficial outcome of the training has been financial progress and stability.”

- Pintu (23), Nagram, Lucknow

Financial progress and stability is the most beneficial outcome of skill training


Financial progress and stability is the most beneficial outcome of skill training

To understand the trainees' perception on the quality and effectiveness of the training, they were asked

to rank different training-related components on a Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5, with 1 being the

lowest score and 5 the highest.

The responses for 4 and 5 i.e. good and very good, for each component was assessed cumulatively to

see the number of trainees who rated the training as having had a positive outcome.

99.8% of the trainees said that they would recommend their family, friends and other acquaintances to

participate in skill development programs conducted by Orion Edutech.

To strengthen HDFC Bank’s branding and presence, trainees were informed that the skill training was

supported by HDFC Bank’s CSR initiative. Trainees were also provided with an education kit which

included communication material on HDFC Bank.

100% of the trainees answered positively to being informed that the training was supported by HDFC

Bank’s CSR initiative and 100% responded positively to being provided with the education kit.

The average percentage of positive response from trainees across all components stands at 84.98%.


Key recommendations from trainers to enhance program impact

• The duration of the skill training should be increased

• There should be more emphasis on practical training to support theoretical inputs

• Training centres should be equipped with better infrastructure to support practical training

• Program mobilization and awareness should take into account all stakeholders, especially family

members, to generate a holistic understanding in communities on the importance and need of skill

training

• Continuous follow-up and guidance should be extended to participants who migrate out of their

villages

“The trainings have increased the employability of the trainees as well as their income as they now count as skilled manpower. They have learnt the knack of communicating and presenting themselves to others appropriately. However I would suggest that trainings should be held at the district level and not in dispersed villages. This will benefit more youth and maximise impact”

- Abdul Haque (29), Project co-ordinator and Soft skills

“The youth in villages have very basic levels of education and little or no awareness about skills and job options. Our training centre provides them with not just skill training but also awareness by exposing them to different environments and experiences. I would suggest that retail labs be better equipped to help the students understand the concept of visual merchandising better.”

- Prashant Varsney (26), Retail and Soft skills

“The youth in rural areas have talent but no skill development opportunities. This leaves them far behind their urban counterparts. Through the skill development program youth gain confidence to enter the job market. As an area for improvement I would recommend that parents be made to understand the importance of skill training so they can encourage their children to take up the same.”

- Mohammad Islam (23), Retail


“The skill training is very useful for young girls and women who rarely step out of the four walls of the home. The exposure and knowledge helps them deal with people more efficiently and confidently. As an area for improvement I suggest that the beauty labs should have more equipment and the duration of the course should be increased to offer a more comprehensive training to trainees.”

- Moni Gupta (23), Beauty and Wellness

“The biggest advantage of the skill development program in rural areas is that the youth now have the

opportunity to learn new skill sets and gain employment. I would recommend that the time allotted to practical

training should be increased and the syllabus should be structured around it. Also, theory should be more

integrated with other relevant subjects to make the training more rounded”

- Vivekananda Mayank (26), Retail

“The program offers rural youth the opportunity to work in their home districts and at least earn an income to

meet their own needs. As for areas for improvement I would suggest that other complementary subjects be

added to the existing course to make it more interesting.”

- Sarifun Shah Mohammad (36), Beauty and Wellness

“The skill trainings are very beneficial for both rural youth as well as the industry. While the youth develop

their skills and get opportunities for employment, the industry gets skilled manpower. Organisations do not

have to invest in giving even the most basic training to their employees. I would recommend that more

support should be provided to students who have completed their training and have started working,

especially to the youth that have migrated for their jobs.”

- Soni Pandey (26), Tourism and Hospitality

“The skill development programs are accessible to youth who come from financially vulnerable backgrounds or

who might have dropped out of education due to varied reasons. The skill training equips them to access high

paying jobs.”

- Neha Gupta (24), Textile and Apparel


With the objective of understanding the extent to which the skill training augmented the employability

of trainees, personnel from the recruiting organizations were asked for feedback on the trainees placed

in their organization through Orion Edutech’s post-placement process.

The following organizations and personnel were contacted –

The status of participants recruited is as follows –

Feedback on the skill development program from the employing organization personnel included both

positive and negative inputs. Positive feedback related to good theoretical clarity among trainees,

desire and dedication to work among the recruited trainees and the structured and organised

placement process of Orion. Areas of improvement suggested was to increase the duration of training,

improve clarity among trainees in terms of job roles and expectations that will help to reduce high

attrition and problems related to distance of training centres from the trainees houses.


“We wanted my sister to work and be independent and this course was very useful for her. She couldn’t

complete her education due to financial problems but can now get a job as she has skills and

experience.”

- Sunny Yadav, brother of Seema Devi (trained in beauty and wellness)

“More than 60 youth from our village participated in the skill training and there is a discernable

difference in terms of attitude and personality in those youth. Almost 75% of the population below 35

years of age in our village are unemployed. The trainings have made the youth more aware of the

various job opportunities available to them. The highest impact has been on the female population as

they have now become more confident and ambitious.”

- Mr. Ramesh Chand (29), village Pradhan, Jalalpur, Barabanki

“30 to 40 youth and women from my village participated in the skill training. The centres where the

trainings are conducted are well-equipped with electricity and other amenities. The training offers

opportunities for individuals to develop their personality, enter the formal market and pave their way

towards a brighter future. Such trainings are beneficial for the development and growth of our village,

state and nation.”

- Mr. Somnath, village Pradhan Chilauki, Barabanki

“Our village, in most cases, has remained isolated from development activities. The efforts made by

Orion Edutech and HDFC Bank are thus highly appreciated. 108 girls and 90 boys from our village got

an opportunity to learn different skills and further their learning. This is a great exposure for them. We

look forward for more such skill trainings to be organized for our village youth.”

- Lalan Pandey, village Pradhan, Akma, Faizabad

"These courses help girls progress financially and socially. It broadens their perspective and makes

them more confident."

- Lal Bahadur Mistry (68), father of Saroj Mistry (trained in beauty and wellness)

"The training has increased the my daughter's opportunities for employment. If such courses are

continued to be offered it will aid the financial independence and social progress of girls and women in

rural areas."

- Bhailal (51), father of Ruchi Kumari (trained in beauty and wellness) “

"The course is beneficial for rural youth as it provides them with knowledge and skills to augment their

employability. The success of a small majority has encouraged many others to follow in their footsteps."

- Ajit Shamaria (32), brother of a youth trained at Orion Edutech



As can be seen from the report, the program has impacted the lives of several youth and women across

Uttar Pradesh. It has provided skill development opportunities to those who would not be able to access

them otherwise. These trainings have imparted not only technical skills in the participants but ensured they

are job-ready for urban markets and tertiary sectors, in a holistic manner. Most of the participants had never

attended a skill training and it could be clearly seen through the research that most of them would have

never been able to enter the formal job market, had it not been for this program. Further, a majority of them

were clueless on how to gain employment or contribute to their household incomes before this program.

This is specifically true for most women who participated in the program. Many times people in rural areas

are unable to enrol for trainings since they cannot afford them, this program changed that and brought skill

training to the doorsteps of many vulnerable communities.

Aligning CSR commitments with national priorities is necessary and important. Considering skill

development is seen as one of the biggest national endeavours right now, the program has definitely

contributed to achieving that goal by reaching to such large numbers of people. The program focused on

emerging sectors like health, hospitality, IT&ITES, etc. where skilled personnel are the need of the hour. The

skills imparted were aligned with industry demand and were job oriented. This was instrumental in achieving

high placement rates among trainees.

It is important to consider feedback of various stakeholders to improve the program and achieve higher

impact. Key areas of improvement pointed out were, increasing the duration of programs, organising more

exposure/industry visits to increase practical learning and exposure, investing in availability of new tools

and equipments for various trades and strengthening the post training support platforms. One common

issue observed was the problem of high rates of attrition among trainees since most times the placements

were far from their areas of residence. This input could be built on at in the next year, by focusing on finding

recruiters and jobs in nearby vicinities. Also, accomplished or merit-worthy participants could be offered

stipends and out of pocket expenses to attend the programs. Specifically for entrepreneurs, a focus on

extending loans would be extremely beneficial to trainees and the overall impact created by the program.

In terms of suggestions to enhance skill development efforts of HDFC Bank, the research team feels that

introducing more Banking and Finance courses, which is the core competency of HDFC should definitely be

explored. Employee engagement programs (of employees conducting some skill training sessions) and

leadership presence at events is also greatly rewarding and appreciated in the social sector. It is also

recommended that the impact of the training should not be viewed primarily in terms of the number of

people skilled and placed, but should move to looking at longer term interventions with youth and women.

This could possibly mean that the focus should be on quality as well as quantity of programs. Candidates can

avail of Pradhan Mantri Mudra Bank Loan Yojana (PMMY) to gain self-employment.

To conclude, while the program has created visible positive impact among participants, ways on increasing

its impact should be explored by creating fixed centers for minimum three to five years, improving

infrastructure, identifying innovative ideas and solutions in the skill development sector.

Documents

skeptic solutionsORION_Impact.pdfHDFC Bank funded the project, FUEL undertook the initial identification and counselling of unemployed youth and women, and Orion Edutech was responsible