Vedanta Aluminium launches Skill Development Initiative for empowering youths in rural Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium, has embarked on a major new skill development initiative in partnership with the Skill Development Institute, Bhubaneswar, a premier training institute in Odisha. The transformative program aims to empoweryouths from the rural hinterlands of Odisha by equipping them with market-relevant skills, enhancing their employability, and creating a skilled workforce for the future.

The inaugural batch of the program comprises 26 candidates, drawn from acrossJamkhani, Girisima,Jharpalam and Mendra villages in Sundargarhdistrict. They will undergo a comprehensive six-monthtraining as industrial electricians, in important modules such as basic electrical & electronics, domestic and industrial wiring, motor controls, transformers, earthing, underground cabling and joints, instrumentation, and other areas.

The training program bridges the gap between unskilled and semi-skilled workforce and willhelp offer new avenues in employment opportunities for the participants. This will in turn contribute to their personal growth and the overall socio-economic development of the region. In continuation of this program, plans are also underway to onboard a separate batch for training in industrial welding soon, further expanding the range of skill trainings available.

Speaking about the initiative, Mr V. Srikanth, CEO – Mines, Vedanta Aluminium, said, “We are delighted to launch this skill development initiative, which reflects our strong and continued commitment to empowering the youth of Odisha. By partnering with the Skill Development Institute, we aim to provide the necessary expert guidance to transform the lives of young individuals, making them job-ready and fostering their socio-economic progress. This initiative underscores our dedication to nurturing local talent, fostering sustainable growth, and contributing to the overall development of the communities we operate in.”

Thanking the company, Mr. BarunKanta, one of the youths undergoing training as part of the program, said, “I would like to thank Vedanta for providing skill training to the youth of our village, which willopen anextended world of opportunities for us. I am looking forward to successfully completing the 6-month training program,which also comes with the possibility of placement assistance. This training will help me secure a job and take care of my family.”

Vedanta Aluminium’s Mines Business has been working towards community development through focused interventions in the domains of education, healthcare, livelihood and grassroots sports. Among its other significant initiatives are the Vedanta Nand Ghars, which are modernized anganwadis that serve as community hubs for women and child development. Through its interventions, the company is positively impacting the lives of the communities in its areas of operations and beyond, making community members vital partners in the shared growth and progress of the state.

Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing more than half of India’s aluminium i.e., 2.29 million tonnes in FY23. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. Vedanta Aluminium ranks 2nd in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) 2022 world rankings for aluminium industry, a reflection of its sustainable development practices. With its world-class aluminium smelters, alumina refinery and power plants in India, the company fulfils its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow.