A skill development programme in Karnataka's Thondebhavi region is helping young people gain industry-relevant skills and secure employment opportunities in the formal sector.

Thondebhavi is located at about 80 kilometres away from Bengaluru, and it has always had problems concerning lack of job prospects in the area despite being close to one of the largest economic hubs in India. Young people in the area have always struggled with getting jobs, settling for either low-paying jobs or remaining unemployed. Young girls, especially, have always lacked employment opportunities.

To address these challenges, the Adani Skill Development Centre (ASDC), established by the Adani Foundation at ACC's Thondebhavi plant, provides training in Data Entry, Retail and soft skills.

Focus on Skills and Employability

The programme offers industry-aligned training aimed at improving workplace readiness among youth. In addition to classroom learning, the initiative includes community outreach, mentoring sessions, parent counselling and the sharing of local success stories.

According to the organisers, these efforts have helped address concerns related to employment, migration and workplace environments, encouraging greater participation among young people, particularly women.

Growing Interest in Formal Employment

As awareness of employement opportunities increased, many youths from Thondebhavi have been looking for employment beyond their locality and in irganised industries. 

Families who earlier did not consider anything apart from local employment have now started to support organised sector employment.

Placements at Foxconn

The number of youths who gained placements at Foxconn in Bengaluru through the programme stood at 114 for FY25. Their monthly salary was Rs 17,552. The placements came at a time when most of the participants had no experience working in formal jobs. It was an opportunity for the participants to earn while pursuing their careers. According to the programme, the placements have helped the participants to access to employment opportunities that were previously difficult to pursue due to skill gaps and limited exposure to organised industries.