KOCHI:
Popees Babycare, a leading garment brand, has come forward to take up the initiative to upskill the rural youth of Kerala.
Popees Babycare has launched implementing Central Government’s skill development programme, the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), in the state. Under the initiative of the Union Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), the rural youth are imparted training in job-oriented skills and will be provided with jobs.
A training centre has been set up in Malappuram which offers skill development programmes mainly in the domains of apparel, made-ups and home furnishing. Popees Babycare, the project implementing agency, has extended the scope of courses so as to include housewives to enable them to be self-sufficient. The programme will help them set up own ventures like stitching units.
The first batch for Fashion Designing and Machine Operations has been enrolled. The various courses being offered include Machine Maintenance Mechanic, Sewing Machine Operator, Embroidery Machine Operator, Stitching, Warehouse Packer and Garment Cutters among others. Apart from the major skill development subjects, the curriculum also has functional English and computer literacy.
“Popees Babycare has taken up the development initiative as part of our corporate social responsibility. One area we are focussing is the empowerment of women by making them self-reliant. The company intends to improve the lives of rural poor through the ambitious programme. As an implementing agency, we’ll try to include maximum beneficiaries and will conduct the training programme in the best possible manner in years to come,” said Shaju Thomas, Managing Director – Popees Babycare Products Pvt Ltd.
Each course will have a maximum of 35 candidates in a batch and will be chosen through a screening procedure. The training will last a minimum of three months to maximum one year. All the candidates will be provided with captive placements at Popees and will have to undergo on- the-job training.
Even after placements, the candidates will be provided with financial support for over a year. The training equipment used in classrooms are high quality industrial machinery so that the candidates get a first- hand experience. The trainers are industry experts from Popees who have been associated with the brand for several years. Besides, guest lectures by professionals from the respective fields are also arranged.
A relaxation in age limit for the courses is being allowed to ensure maximum beneficiaries. The company also provides a pick up and drop facility for day scholars while residency facility is also arranged. A significant factor that Popees has also focused is on promoting the sustainability concept, reusing the waste materials available at the centers into handmade crafts and artifacts.
