Skill development institute empowers Andhra Pradesh's youth under PMKVY - World News Network

Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India], June 11 (ANI): The Skill Development Institute (SDI) in Visakhapatnam, operating under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), continues to transform lives by providing free vocational training and placement support to underprivileged youths across Andhra Pradesh.
Imtiyaz Arshad, Chief General Manager at Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and CEO & Secretary of SDI, said that the employment rate under this initiative was around 80 per cent. The initiative helps students from marginalised backgrounds gain industry-relevant skills and secure jobs.
B Renuka, a student from Gajuwaka, expressed gratitude for the opportunity. “I have completed my intermediate course, and I am taking a course in SDI – Warehouse Executive. In this institute, I have learnt so many things, and there are so many facilities available, like canteen facilities. All the facilities are free, and they are very good. It is very helpful for uneducated and unemployed people. I am happy to know this institute. Poor people can easily come to this institute and easily get jobs from this institute.”
She added, “In this institute, I have learnt communication skills, and my ultimate goal is to get a good job and look after my parents happily.”
Anuja, another student from Visakhapatnam, said, “I came to know about this scheme through our seniors. After finding out, I searched on Google, and the reviews were really good. At one point, what caught my eye was the fact that the facilities and training are provided for free. Initially, I thought since it’s free, it may not be of high quality, but after coming here, that image changed. The infrastructure, the quality, the type of food, water, and the training being provided here is really top-notch.”
“My job role is PEO (Production Equipment Operator). The main job of the PEO is to make sure the product being manufactured is of top-notch quality. It ensures the product is working effectively and efficiently. This scheme has been very helpful for me. Coming from a below-middle-class family–my father is a watchman, and my mother is a housewife–being part of this scheme has been very helpful. I am very grateful to SDI and HPCL for giving me this great scheme and helping me grow professionally,” she added.
Koyala Ramakrishna, a former student who is now employed, shared his journey: “I completed a three-month Draftsman Mechanical AutoCAD course here, and it helped me gain technical knowledge regarding AutoCAD. It also helped me gain knowledge in soft skills and personal development, including interview skills.”
He continued, “After completing this three-month course, we got placement in Visakhapatnam with a CTC of Rs 2.5 LPA. We are so thankful for this opportunity. We want to thank SDI for this training and also want to thank HPCL for all the equipment, infrastructure, and facilities provided.”
Mohammad Zafar, another student from Visakhapatnam, praised the program, saying, “Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana is the best scheme for freshers who want to start a career. PMKVY offers multiple courses, and SDI is a part of PMKVY. I am very happy to be part of SDI.”
“Today, I am enrolled in the course of Production Equipment Operator. My job role aims to operate machinery smoothly, safely, and efficiently to produce high-quality products. I am happy to be learning this course. My aim is to get a job in a good company with the best CTC and settle my life here,” he added.
Imtiyaz Arshad, CEO & Secretary of SDI, Visakhapatnam, highlighted the initiative’s impact, saying, “It’s a wonderful initiative in the sense that it takes care of all the financial requirements of the children so that they can get free education, free training, free hostel facility, free food–and the entire cost of their stay is taken care of. Books are taken care of, and at the end of the training, they are facilitated. It is a wonderful scheme that is helping society, and we are also on that path. Under PMKVY, whatever we can do, we are doing–and beyond that, we are also extending similar facilities to the children.”
“Our employment percentage these days is around 80%. Cumulatively, it is around 75%. We are working towards improving it further. For that, we’ve taken various initiatives. Facilitating employment is part of our job, so we ensure they get jobs. Now, what we are trying to do is upgrade their employment as well. These children come from difficult social backgrounds, and it’s not easy for them to move into work life. There are a lot of emotional and societal issues. For example, our children in Vizianagaram may not like to go to Hyderabad or Vijayawada. So we have a lot of psychological support work to do, and we are trying to handle that over the next 2-3 months. One challenge is enabling these children to join the workforce in areas unfamiliar to them. We are working on it,” he added.
When asked about the role of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited in Skill Development Institute, he said, “HPCL is managing this institute. In technical terms, we are the lead promoters, but we are managing this institute at SDI Visakhapatnam.” (ANI)

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