NSDC’s Udaan – a corporate training program powering the career dreams of the youth of Jammu and Kashmir

Young minds are filled with ideas, aspirations and a zeal to utilize their talent to fulfill their career ambitions. They need the right avenues and opportunities to explore, learn and realize their dreams through education and training. In this Skill Story, Dr Sapna Poti, Head, NSDC – Jammu, Kashmir and North East Region tells us more about how NSDC Udaan is helping the youth in the state to live their dreams by connecting their educational qualifications with placement oriented training to acquire the right skills for the right jobs. 

As the name suggests, Udaan is about propelling your flight to reach your career destinations. NSDC Udaan is a unique scheme that has successfully catalyzed the skill development and employability landscape in Jammu and Kashmir, giving flight to career aspirations and sustainable livelihoods in the region. The scheme is conceptualized and implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), NSDC, the state government and corporate organizations in the public and private sectors.

 NSDC Udaan scheme was launched in 2011 with the following objectives:

• Provide skill-based training and enhance employability of youth in Jammu and Kashmir
• Enable exposure to career options that match the educational qualifications of youth from different universities
• Position Udaan as a special industry led initiative (SII) to skill and facilitate employment for 40000 youth from the state
• Design and deliver placement-linked market driven training for salaried employment or self-employment
• Incentivize corporate organizations to encourage talent development in the region that otherwise lacks opportunity for employment

Positive impact of NSDC Udaan

It was difficult for the youth to get corporate exposure on their own accord and hence such an initiative and NSDC’s network has helped the youth to engage with the larger corporate world. We have received positive feedback from Udaan candidates and parents for training quality, facilities provided and placement support.

As of today, 8,714 candidates have been offered jobs across India in sectors including IT, Telecommunication, BFSI, logistics, automation, healthcare, hospitality, construction, sports and others.

Benefits of the scheme

Udaan benefits the youth as well as the corporates in many ways. The youth of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) gets to be part of a corporate and gets an exposure and livelihood options. The corporate gets an opportunity to engage with the J&K talent, provide them skills and truly integrate them with rest of India. With this program there is more bonhomie and appreciation for the country at large. NSDC bears the expenses for the candidates travel to the corporate location, boarding and lodging, stipend and insurance. A placement incentive to the corporate is also provided to ensure they meet the expenses (if any) spent on the training. The training program is from 3 to 6 months. It is also a good employer branding to be attached.

Facilitation by NSDC

Apart from the monetary benefits, NSDC also organizes mega drives with state partners and NSDC. Advertisements in all newspapers, TV and Radio are published in order to mobilize the right kind of talent. Corporates participate on the day of mega drive and select their candidates as per their own processes. A Background verification is undertaken by the State for the candidates once they are chosen. Monitoring of training at the Corporate premises is undertaken by NSDC. Details of candidates on enrolment needs to be uploaded in the portal of NSDC and update on every stage of completion needs to be undertaken.

The Udaan Portal

Udaan program also has a portal. The portal has received tremendous response from students and youth from different districts of Jammu and Kashmir. Candidates register on the portal  to apply for skill based training programs and jobs post training. They get information about the Mega Drives conducted by NSDC and become aware about the corporates participating in the drives, the nature of jobs, training programs, assessment and selection process and placement

Placement and scope for replicating the scheme

Other than placements in metros, corporates are encouraged to provide jobs in the state as well, though there is no hard and fast rule at this juncture. Self Employment is not part of the story currently as it depends on the corporates. If the corporate incubates them as entrepreneurs it is perfectly fine. As far as NSDC is concerned the youth should be gainfully employed and not exploited by any corporates. Certainly this scheme can be replicated in other states. Northeast India is one more regions that is a bit isolated and hence if the government wants to undertake such a program in northeast and it will be a good idea to do so.

The road ahead

We would like to extend the program to the ITIs as well. We are also keen on engaging with larger national level education institutes. We have approached an IIT to see if an exchange program can be undertaken for faculty and students of final year.

We look forward to new proposals from corporate India to join Udaan program and to train and hire the talent pool of J&K . Corporates can connect NSDC at udaan@nsdcindia.org