The National Skill and Development Corporation under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna (PMKVY) sanctioned Ambuja Foundation’s skill training institutes (SEDIs) to training 440 youth in the General Duty Assistant (GDA) course. 11 SEDI centres from Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra have been selected to train 40 students per centre in GDA.

This initiative is created under the PMKVY 3.0 in order to provide Fresh Skilling for Special Projects and Upskilling of Healthcare Professionals (Recognition of Prior Learning – RPL). Under Fresh Skilling, a short-duration training would take place comprising of approx. 21 days of training followed by 3 months of On-the-Job Training. Under Upskilling the total duration will be 7 days for healthcare professionals interested to get upskilled.

These sanctions were granted based on the demand received at district level for the need of skilled youth in these trades. Certified trainers will be provided to cover this course with a batch size of 20:1. SEDI will coordinate with the District Skill Committees and State Engagement Officer to understand the demand for each job role and accordingly begin with mobilization.

Infrastructural commitment from the training provider includes Classrooms, Labs (including equipment tools), seating arrangements maintaining social distancing for allocated capacity and CCTV infrastructure. Following precautionary measures, frequent sanitization and fumigation of the centre will be conducted as well as handwashing stations and sanitizers will be available.

This initiative is targeted to create a skilled workforce of COVID-19 warriors cum support staff in the healthcare sector under the Centrally Sponsored Centrally Managed (CSCM) Component of PMKVY 3.0. SEDI will ensure On the Job Training and Placement Opportunities at Primary/Community Health Clinics, health facilities and hospitals.

SEDI’s GDA course offers trainees sufficient knowledge to grasp the job quickly and also train them to handle crises situations. Many of the GDA trainee worked with Hospitals during the pandemic and were recognized as corona warriors. Apart from basic training, soft skills like English efficiency, communication, team-work, workplace ethics, health and safety, basic computers skill, self-awareness are also provided to the trainees so that they are able to handle situations during emergencies. Ambuja Foundation has trained 4522 youth as GDA students since 2015 under Ambuja’s CSR initiative as well as in partnership with other CSRs and have placed 3405 offering this course in 14 SEDI locations.