90,000+
youth trained
so far
56,500+
youth placed
so far
7
States
A country like India which has a huge young population can reap better benefits from the demographic dividend if its youth are better skilled and employable. According to some estimates, India’s demographic dividend window opened in 2005-06 and it is expected to last till the mid-2050s. By 2047, India will have 1.1 billion people in the working age group (15-64), which is the peak of the demographic dividend that the country is expected to reach in the coming years. And, this is why the next two decades are extremely crucial for India.
Smile Foundation through its Livelihood programme connects the unemployed or underemployed youth from disadvantaged groups and communities with the sectors which have large growth potential in terms of revenue generation and employability. The marginalised youth population under-utilised in the job market because of a lack of requisite qualifications and training is upskilled, uplifted, and mainstreamed to become a part of the country’s growth story.
The skill training and livelihood programme of Smile Foundation is closely aligned with the ‘Skill India’ initiative of the Government of India. Through specialized training courses, we aim to empower individuals with relevant and in-demand skills, enabling them to adapt to the changing job market and secure meaningful employment opportunities. The program placed significant emphasis on comprehensive training and skill development. Tailored counselling sessions, engagement programmes and hands-on experience, provide the young trainees with the tools and guidance needed to unlock their potential, creating a nurturing environment where they can explore their capabilities and cultivate their talents.
Spread across 7 states, the 74 Skilling Centres impart soft skills, computer skills, English language skills, and industry-specific skills & knowledge to the youth trainees
Practical exposure and on-job training is a crucial part of the skilling programme and helps students become job-ready and prepared for real-life workplace challenges
Aimed at upskilling the painter community across India to enhance their employment opportunities and developing entrepreneurial skills in them
With a strong network of over 400 employment partners across industries, 64% of the trained youth secured jobs and entered the workforce
Core
Employability
Healthcare (General Duty Assistance)
Banking Financial Services & Insurance
Retail
Management
Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)
Digital Marketing
Smile Foundation’s skilling programme now integrates online learning, providing participants with a flexible platform for accessing a wide range of courses and resources anytime, anywhere. Multimedia elements like videos, simulations, and interactive quizzes have been introduced in the Core Employability, Healthcare, BFSI, and Digital Marketing modules to enhance the overall learning experience of trainees and provide practical industry-relevant knowledge and skills.
In addition to this, the skilling centers have transitioned to a paperless environment after COVID, streamlining processes, improving data management, and promoting sustainability. This shift has enhanced efficiency, reduced costs, and aligned the centers with digital advancements.
Berger Paints India Limited has partnered with Smile Foundation to implement their iTrain on Wheels program - an upskilling initiative aimed at honing the skills of young painters by training them in contemporary painting techniques while simultaneously upskilling existing painters to enhance their employability opportunities. The program aims to develop a pool of skilled workforce in addition to developing entrepreneurial skills in painters. In addition to facilitation of training, Smile Foundation also effectively monitors and evaluates the programme. Presently training is imparted through mobile iTrain vans in 24 states over 100+ remote sites. During the year, 94333 painters were trained across 24 states through 19 iTrain vans.
Smile Foundation partnered with Amazon to create 21st century learning labs where digital devices were provided to transform and upgrade the skilling centres. Through partnerships with industry experts in skill development and vocational training including NIIT Foundation, Wadhwani Foundation & Tata Strive, Smile Foundation leveraged the knowledge and resources of these organizations to implement curriculums in core employability skills, BFSI (Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance), GDA (General Duty Assistant), and Digital Marketing. These collaborations ensured that our skill training programme was aligned with industry requirements and provided students with the necessary skills for employment in these sectors. Additionally, focus was on establishing strong relationships with employers to facilitate job placements for trained candidates. The programme forged alliances with companies such as Team lease, Quess Corp, Better place, etc to support the placement of trained youth.
She proved that no challenge or shortfall is big enough to stop a woman from conquering her will and pursuing her dreams to empower herself. Sakhiat Pala Laloo is a true example of women’s empowerment. She had a dream to become a paint contractor in her village in Shillong, Meghalaya and to staff a big team to empower more and more women in the community.
To achieve her goals, she joined the iTrain program, a specialized initiative that focuses on upskilling painters with the latest techniques and technologies in the field. Despite the persistent challenges and difficulties that came her way, her perseverance helped her sail through. She emerged as a well-trained professional with innovative techniques and products to overcome her prior challenges. She not only had an exponential rise in her income to sustain her family and provide for her daughter’s education but also became an empowered woman to inspire and elevate more women in her community.
One of her team members Ferdinancy Laloo was greatly inspired by her. Ferdinancy saw her husband struggling to manage the rising cost of living, and was trying to pitch in to support her family and give her children a better life and education.
She began as an amateur painter but eventually established a name for herself through hard work and practice. Under Sakhiat’s mentorship, she too joined the iTrain program to upgrade her skills and explore new techniques and the latest equipment to become relevant per market demands.
Her continuous efforts and willingness to improve helped her overcome all the hurdles and challenges that came her way, establishing her mark as a professional painter in the market and bringing her a substantial increase of over 300% in her average income. These upskilled women painters are now setting an example for the whole painters’ community in Shillong.
“My parents are service-class workers. When I was a child, we often faced financial difficulties. Despite these challenges, they always emphasized the importance of education. But because of the daily worry of money and something so necessary as food, my education was always a roller coaster ride. There were times when I had to skip school to help my parents with odd jobs, and other times when we had to go hungry because there wasn’t enough food for all. It was a tough childhood, but it taught me the value of hard work and perseverance. My teachers from the Smile Foundation played a big role in helping me become what I wanted to be. Their support and guidance helped me overcome the obstacles that came my way. It wasn’t easy, but I never gave up on my dreams. ”
Sajana was trained on employability skills under Smile Foundation’s livelihood programme and is now placed as a Data Entry Operator in a Multinational Corporation in Mumbai.
“I come from Purulia, a small town in West Bengal. My father is the only earning member in the family and works hard to sustain a decent life for us. I have always seen my parents work hard to provide me with a better future and opportunities to succeed which has motivated me to excel in my academics. After completing my schooling, I wanted to contribute to our family income. I joined college to pursue my degree in BA and started looking for jobs, but nothing turned up until my friend told me about the Smile Foundation’s livelihood training program. The program gave me a complete transformation, making me skilled, knowledgeable, soft-spoken, and employable. I feel great to be supporting my family while managing my studies and saving to further grow in my career.”
Aparna Mahato was trained in employability skills and patient care under Smile Foundation’s livelihood program. She is now a GDA healthcare worker at a multi-specialty hospital in Kolkata.
STeP trainees were young women
painters were upskilled in 24 cities across India
career counseling sessions & industry exposure visits
trainees were placed in 200+ Indian & multinational companies
