ET : Jobs for rural youth : Nov 7,2007

IT STARTED two years ago in Andhra Pradesh. The state government with the help of World Bank, the central government and a seed capital of Rs 5 crore started the employment generation & marketing mission (EGMM). The program – a novel public private partnership – addresses the employability issue among the underprivileged rural youth.

So far the results have been impressive. In 2006, EGMM trained 45,000, 80% landing a job. This year they are targeting 100,000 youths The funding too has steadily gone up – from Rs 5 crore in the first to Rs 110 crore in the third year. “The success rate and enquiries from other state governments like Bihar has been overwhelming,” says Meera Shenoy, executive director, EGMM.

What’s so special about the EGMM? First, this is a government-managed program linked strongly to private sector needs. Second, companies help identify training areas and put together course modules, which makes them better attuned to what the market needs. The mission targets poorest of poor rural youth, many of them illiterate. It first screens and sorts them and then depending on their capabilities and the industry’s needs, puts together a program to train them and help them get jobs. Private sector is actively involved in developing and supporting the program. For example illiterates are put through a program to land jobs in the construction and textile sector. Whereas 10 th, 12th pass and graduates are trained to be employed in the services sector.

Last November, EGMM set up a Rural Retail Academy and has already trained 5000 plus. They are put through 45-day training sessions. While 10 th and 12 th pass have been trained for customer care positions, graduates are groomed for supervisory roles. Course modules were developed in-house with the help of industry. “The results have been very encouraging,” says S Sivakumar, CEO, ITC’s agri business. Future Group, McDonalds, Trinethra, Unilever, retailing companies of all shades are recruiting from them. Relatively higher motivation level and lower attrition among these workers is a big draw, companies say.

EGMM is actively focusing on the mission’s sustainability. Program modules are developed by companies because they understand the best what a potential recruit should have. But all teachers for the program are locally hired – and are subsequently put through an aggressive training with the help of companies. “We make these teachers sit through companies’ screening process so that they know well what is required,” says Shenoy. For modules like English speaking, they have tied up with professional firms like Hero Mind Mine or Vita.

Recruiting companies have to go through a village immersion program. Village youth come with completely different mindset – “It helps sensitise companies and break their mindset,” she says. Companies have to come and recruit from the village. This helps them spend some time, understand the context and have a deeper interface with the community.

“We find many rural people drop out by the end of first month,” says Shenoy. So EGMM provides one month of pay to cushion the stress of moving to the big cities, helps them find low cost housing and provides them with counsellors (now available in two Andhra cities) who can help sort things when they feel lost. Now, an emboldened EGMM is looking at better-paying the BPO sector for its rural graduates.

What’s the success formula? ask Shenoy. A willing private sector, a supportive government, a booming economy and a body like EGMM that can connect all that together. All of it very doable if the state governments put their minds to it.