BALCO’s Vedanta Skill School becomes Chhattisgarh’s first 5-star youth training facility
Balconagar, January 11, 2023: Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), India’s iconic Aluminium producer, crosses another milestone in its community developmental interventions with its Vedanta Skill School being awarded a 5-star rating under the Skill Management & Accreditation of Training Centers (SMART) program by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). This makes it the only skill center in Chhattisgarh with a 5-star rating and multiple accreditations from the NSDC and Sector Skill Council (SSC).
The Vedanta Skill School is a one-of-its-kind institute that provides technical education and vocational training to local youth to make them employable and financially self-reliant. The institute imparts free residential training in six trades, including Sewing Machine Operator, Electrician, Welding, Hospitality, Fitter-Leveling Alignment & Balancing & Solar PV Technician, along with further helping the trainees with placements in companies of repute. The training program, ranging in duration from 45 to 65 days, is designed as per the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) guidelines. Since commencing in 2010, more than 10,000 students have graduated from the Vedanta Skill School till now and placed in reputed organizations across the country. They have gone on to bring additional household income and foster development of their communities at large.
Speaking about the certification, Mr. Abhijit Pati, CEO and Director, BALCO, said, “Empowered youth play a pivotal role in accelerating the development of a nation. It has been our earnest endeavour to make the local youth self-reliant by imparting them with employable skills and knowledge through the Vedanta Skill Schools. Our Skill Schools have helped bring about a positive transformation in the region, by enabling the youth to avail various opportunities for their growth and progress. Our youth interventions also include unique programs such as Project Connect, wherein our employees volunteer to help school students perform better in STEM subjects through supplemental coaching.”
Expressing her gratitude, Pratibha, a student of the Vedanta Skill School who is now employed in a leading textile company, says, “Enrolling in the Vedanta Skill School has been one of the best decisions of my life. I am deeply thankful to BALCO and the school for making me financially independent which is helping me take care of my family. The institute has been instrumental in transforming my life and making me self-reliant.”
Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO) is India’s iconic aluminium producer. It is owned 49% by the Government of India and 51% by Vedanta Limited. BALCO is part of Vedanta’s Aluminium Business, a division of Vedanta Limited, which is India’s largest manufacturer of aluminium. BALCO operates a 0.57 million tonne per annum aluminium smelter in Korba, Chhattisgarh. It is also a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. With its world-class smelter and power plants, the company fulfills its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow.
About Vedanta Limited
Vedanta Limited, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Limited, is one of the world’s leading Oil & Gas and Metals company with significant operations in Oil & Gas, Zinc, Lead, Silver, Copper, Iron Ore, Steel, and Aluminium & Power across India, South Africa, Namibia, and Australia. For two decades, Vedanta has been contributing significantly to nation building. Governance and sustainable development are at the core of Vedanta's strategy, with a strong focus on health, safety, and environment. Giving back is in the DNA of Vedanta, which is focused on enhancing the lives of local communities. Under the aegis of Vedanta Cares, the flagship social impact program, Nand Ghars have been set up as model anganwadis focused on eradicating child malnutrition, providing education, healthcare, and empowering women with skill development. Vedanta and its group companies have been featured in Dow Jones Sustainability Index 2020, and were conferred Frost & Sullivan Sustainability Awards 2020, CII Environmental Best Practices Award 2020, CSR Health Impact Award 2020, CII National Award 2020 for Excellence in Water Management, CII Digital Transformation Award 2020, ICSI National Award 2020 for excellence in Corporate Governance, People First HR Excellence Award 2020, ‘Company with Great Managers 2020’ by People Business and certified as a Great Place to Work 2021. Vedanta’s flagship Nand Ghar Project was identified as best CSR project by the Government of Rajasthan. Vedanta Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange in India and has ADRs listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
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