Women in Leather Industry fulfil their dreams for better life through skills

Women make a vital contribution to industrial development in many ways. Their hard work not only supports their families but also contributes to the socio-economic progress of the country. The key to enhancing women’s opportunities, and hence their position in industry is to provide them with access to know-how, technologies and training. Realizing this, Leather Sector Skill Council (LSSC) under the aegis of National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) have been providing skill development training to women in various areas like leather stitching, leather cutting etc. As such, women are able to unleash their creativity and talent in this booming sector along with generating income. We caught up with some beneficiaries of Leather Sector Skill Council’s program to know more about the impact of skill training in their lives. Let’s read on…

I was working as an Attached for 6 Years in a Leather factory. Leather Sector offered me a chance to learn leather stitching and become a Stitcher. The program helped me immensely as I learnt the art of fixing the needle. Using different types of threads, types of needles etc. The training also help me understand the material I was stitching, like the quality of the leather scratches in the leather color matching in the leather or using the bent needle. This program has made me so confident that I can guide my fellow workers too. I am grateful that Leather SSC gave me this opportunity to change my life! –  Meera, Leather Stitcher Footwear

I’m Sangeetha, like most women coming from rural areas, I too am not educated, as I dropped out of school in my early years. Coming from a traditional household and because of family commitments, taking up a job away from home was difficulty for me. So when i Heard about a Leather training course being offered in our area, I didn’t hesitate even for a minute and enrolled for the program, . Today I work in Mohib Shoes as a leather cutter, I am able to provide education to my children and take care of my basic household needs. I am a confident woman today, thanks to the efforts of Leather Sector Skill Council and NSDC, I cannot thank them enough.  Sangeetha Leather Cutter Footwear

“Since a young age, I had an interest in tailoring and stitching but did not know how to go about it. I could not continue my studies due to the poor economic background of my family. My father was the only earning member of the family and his earnings could not afford to meet all our family expenses. I wanted to support my father but could not do so as I had no qualifications. I tried many times but would always get rejected by companies. Finally, one day, a friend of mine handed me a pamphlet that contained details of the many skill development programs offered by Leather SSC. I enquired about a few of the programs and finally zeroed in on the Leather Stitching program. I enrolled for the training and received intensive training by my trainers which made me supremely confident of my ability to land a good job. The training helped me secure a job with a leather product manufacturing unit as a Leather Stitcher with a salary of INR 10,000. – Revathi, Leather stitching

“Since a young age, I had an interest in tailoring and stitching but did not know how to go about it. I could not continue my studies because I got married when I was young. Due to the added responsibilities of my husband’s family, I had to quit my studies. The financial condition of our house was not good, but I could not help in anyway as I had no qualifications.  My life revolves around my husband and two children. My husband works in a real estate office and is the bread winner of the family. But his income was not sufficient to provide for the whole family. As his income depends on successful client referrals, we have never had a steady source of income.

I felt that I could make use of my free time in learning a skill and finding a job eventually. A friend of mine informed me about the courses offered at Leather SSC. I decided to join the Leather Stitching program. With this training, I learnt about different types of garments and how to stitch those craft fully.” After attending this course, I was placed at Paragon Polymer Products Pvt Ltd as a Stitcher with a salary of INR 10,000. – Maheshwari, Leather stitching

“I had to quit studies as I was married off after completing higher secondary. My family consists of two children and my husband who is employed in a hotel as a daily wage worker.  With kids in the house, it becomes important to save every penny to provide for their better future. But, given that my husband was the only earning member of the family, his income would be barely enough to meet the daily household expenses.

I always wanted to pursue a career in tailoring and stitching, but family obligations did not allow me to pursue my interests. When a friend recommended about the skill development courses offered by Leather SSC, I grabbed the opportunity and enrolled for the Leather Stitching course. I learnt a lot during the training and got practical exposure in handling leather garments. The training helped me secure a job with a Leather product manufacturing unit as a Leather Stitcher with a salary of INR 10,000. – Nithya, Leather stitching