Tata STRIVE has recently unlocked another milestone in their journey of training and livelihood enablement of youth through skill development. With successful training of one million youth and positively impacting the livelihoods of their dependents, Tata STRIVE continues to create an equitable future for youth in India.
This achievement would not have been possible without the efforts and contributions of individuals who are managing and leading people and initiatives at Tata STRIVE training centres across India.
To know and understand the journey and challenges so far in achieving this milestone, and to learn more about the Centre Managers, we caught up with Mr. Anurag Mishra, Deputy Manager – Head, Aligarh centre, Tata STRIVE.
Learn more about Tata STRIVE’s courses and their initiatives in skill development – https://www.nationalskillsnetwork.in/tata-strive/
Here are the excerpts from the conversation. You can watch the full video on our YouTube channel.
Q: What are your thoughts on reaching the milestone of completing the training and livelihood enablement of one million youth?
A: We are happy to reach this milestone of completing training and livelihood enablement of one million youth in the country. We, at Tata STRIVE tried to reach this target since the inception of our skill development journey. The milestone would help us create larger impact among students and parents going forward.
Q: Please tell us more about your journey as a Centre Manager? How did the role evolve along with the growth of the centre?
A: As a Centre Manager, I am accountable and responsible for all the activities at the centre. There are a few activities that are monitored regularly like:
- Mobilization
- Training in classrooms
- Placements after training
- Post-placement support
Tata STRIVE is focusing on providing sustainable livelihood from the beginning. Apart from all these, safety has been one of the key responsibilities of centre managers due to the pandemic.
Q: How does a typical day of a Centre Manager look like?
A: On a typical day in the life of a Centre Manager, there are many activities that need to be looked at. We talk to students and ask about the challenges and issues they are facing and conduct regular meetings regarding the progress of the projects. During the second half of the day, we look for tasks like mobilization and council students and parents who are not willing to join any organisation. Lastly, we review the status of the whole day and plan accordingly for the next day.
On the whole, as a Centre Manager, I monitor all the activities that are happening at the centre.
Q: What are some of the challenges you face in Aligarh?
A: People in Aligarh earn only through agriculture. Aligarh doesn’t have many industries where we can send our students after the training. The nearest places are Delhi and Ghaziabad, where we send our students.
Most of the time, it is very challenging, especially for the girls to move to these cities for jobs. One of our students, Rajni, who was a part of one of our technical courses, Air Conditioner and Refrigerator Technician. After the completion of her course, we convinced her and her parents for a job in Hyderabad. And after receiving her first salary, she called me to share her happiness and how glad she was that she took up this job.
Q: What are some of the job roles for which training is offered at the Tata STRIVE Aligarh centre?
A: There are five job roles at Aligarh –
- Air Conditioner and Refrigerator Technician
- Assistant Beauty Therapist
- Solar PV Installer – Suryamitra
- Assistant Electrician
- Business Development Executive (BDE) in Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI)
Q: As the head of a centre, how do you upskill and reskill yourself to keep you updated and motivated?
A: Many stakeholders are involved in our upskilling and reskilling activities. At Tata STRIVE, we have a good training mechanism through which we upskill and reskill. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we were running batches in Instructor-Led Training (ILT) mode when every student used to come to the centre and learn. After the government imposed a complete lockdown, we adopted the blended learning model. After the government’s approval, we tried to give practical training at our centre.
Our organisation gave me an ample number of resources and opportunities for me to learn to deal with such tough situations.
Q: How did you manage the students during the COVID-19 pandemic?
A: During the pandemic, the Air Conditioner and Refrigerator Operator batch of 2018 were stuck in Gurgaon where they were placed for on-the-job training (OJT). Then, we consulted the government of Haryana who then was mobilizing people. After trying to reach people who were responsible for mobilizing, we successfully sent our students to their respective areas.
Also watch: Centre Managers in Skill Development – https://youtu.be/7Hmves2MHvI
Q: Do you wish to share anything else with our audience?
A: Be a helping hand to your team members and try to involve each of them in the discussion. Try listening to their issues and take their feedback.
If you wish to get in touch with Tata STRIVE, you may contact them by visiting https://tatastrive.com/Contact.aspx or by writing to them at STRIVE@tatasustainability.com
