Working on skills pays dividends

Sarah Berry

“We do not need magic to change the world; we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already; we have the power to imagine better.” J.K. Rowling. Some stories of youngsters, who have acquired a skill, and changed their lives around, prove the truth in this adage. Here is more about them…

Rakhi Sharma

Rakhi Sharma begins talking about her repertoire of experiences with a disarming smile. Her young life has thrown quite a number of challenges at her. But these have failed  to deter her. Rakhi’s family comprises three sisters, including her, and three brothers; two of her elder sisters have been married; she, on the other hand, chose a different path: “I wanted to pursue hotel management, but my family protested; then, I tried again, with the retail sector; this time they agreed, but I saw the challenges of my shyness and introvert nature staring at me. I knew it was time to work on myself, and I did.” Rakhi undertook training at a vocational skill training center in Okhla in the retail sector, worked hard, and subsequently found placement with Kidzania, where she worked for about 10 months. However, the long daily commute made her opt for another job opportunity, as a receptionist, closer to her home. In her own words: “I had passed Class XII, and just did not know what to do with my life, and how to plan my future. I took up tailoring, as the money helped me meet my expenses, including my computer class tuition fee. Around that time, I got to know about skill training, and found the opportunity to be a springboard for my career.” 

Currently pursuing her graduation, alongside a job, she feels that girls must have a say in their lives, they must live their dreams…Educate a girl, and you educate a family…How true, indeed!

Khushboo Goyal

Khushboo Goyal is a bubbly young girl, all of 20, hailing from Rajasthan. She works with a multi-cuisine restaurant called Kill The Bill. “Though I hail from a family, where girls are meant to earn degrees, and then settle down, I did not follow this”. She lives in  Delhi with her parents, and younger brother. “I always felt strongly that there is nothing that I can’t do; however, when I wanted to pursue my hotel management, my proposal was turned down by my family with a strict ‘No’. I could have left the thought, given up, sulked, and done just what other girls of the family had done, but I did not; I joined the F&B — Steward course under the PMKVY initiative, and after successfully completing my training of around two months, was placed with my current employer.”

Khushboo remembers her training days with fondness, as she feels that she learnt a lot about the hospitality sector during her training. Of course, the job added to her portfolio of experiences, but the self-esteem that undergoing a skill brought was unparalleled. “My work ends by late evening, and by the time I reach home it is around 10 p.m.; earlier my parents were scared, and, to tell you the truth, so was I, but gradually I overcame the insecurities; one has to be careful no doubt,” she adds. Her parents have slowly accepted her take on a career, and are even proud that their daughter has set out to carve a path for herself. Her message for the youth of today is to face failure and not give up, to be confident and good human beings. 

— THe writer is Advisor - Communications and Media Outreach, IL&FS Education and Technology Services Ltd.

Suyash Sharma

“I wanted to pursue engineering for as long as I can recall, this was my dream; so after completing my schooling, I took a year’s break to study for the entrance exams. Life, however, had different plans. Instead, I undertook skilling, received a government certification, and got down to work in the BPO sector,” says Suyash Sharma, who lives in Faridabad with his parents and sister. Besides the skilling he undertook, he is also pursuing his bachelor’s degree in science. Suyash describes how the training was not only about imparting theory, but, essentially, practical know-how, including value added programmes such as soft skills and IT. 

After switching jobs, early on in his journey, post skilling, he now works with Prima Competencies, a knowledge company that provides solutions on competency-based assessment methodologies for quality training in diverse learning segments. Adds the young man: “Sometimes, life does not proceed as per plans; the important thing to understand is not to give up, to look for options, pursue them, and work with sincerity and integrity. Learning a skill empowers, and this one can understand when one experiences this journey,” he adds. 

Bablu Kumar

Bablu Kumar is a quiet teenager, 19 years of age, who hails from Bihar. He had a keen interest in computers ever since childhood. He has completed his course for a CNC Operator, and stays with his brother in Manesar, where he works with Maxop Engineering Pvt. Ltd., while his family is based in Bihar. Working in shifts, and for 12 hours, does not perturb him: “I don’t take it as a challenge; it is part of the job; moreover, we get enough breaks. I have always wanted to do this, and it makes me happy.  One day, I will be a programmer…” The stars in Bablu’s eyes are not just mere dreams, but the will to be something in life, make the parents proud, sustain himself and the family. He goes on to explain how acquiring a skill has made him confident, and helped change his personality too. “The training helped understand the nuances of the sector and prepared for the challenges of the job, so much so that when I secured employment, it was easy to adjust in the work environment.” What does he want to tell the youth of today: “I feel once a person is skilled, he does not fear being financially inadequate in any way…there is always an opportunity for a skilled individual.”