ETASHA Society was founded in 2006 by Dr Meenakshi Nayar to provide Vocational Training & Placement to underprivileged youth. While conducting a career guidance workshop for students at Gautampuri, a slum resettlement colony in South Delhi, Dr Nayar realised that while these students had tremendous potential it would be extremely hard for them to achieve their dreams and take control of their futures. Professional courses would prove too expensive for these resource-poor youth and lack of appropriate training opportunities would push them further from acquiring growth-oriented organised-sector jobs. At the same time, with her decades-long experience of Human Resource Management in the Corporate sector, she was aware of a growing service sector which required active, high school educated youth for various entry-level positions. Recognising the opportunity, Meenakshi sought to connect the two for mutual benefit. ETASHA became a bridge connecting resource-poor youth with the organised sector, enabling them to break out of the vicious cycle of poverty and the associated problems of violence, substance abuse and social unrest. Vocational training and placement for young adults - Short-duration industry-relevant skills training and placement programs for Class 12 passed underprivileged youth are delivered from ETASHA’s Career Development Centres as well as from NGO Partnership centres in urban slum communities as well as rural areas. 5379 youth have been enrolled in Vocational Programs and over 70% of those completing the programs have been employed. In the context of the changing work environment created by the Corona pandemic, this program has been pivoted to create the SMART Online Job readiness program, which is delivered through a blended methodology combining facilitated learning, and one-on-one mentoring with on-line delivery. The basic approach adopted for the project is of focussing on mind-set, attitude and behaviour change for skill building, rather than purely emphasising on knowledge and concepts.

Trainees completing vocational programmes and keen on employment have been placed in companies of the organised sector within six to eight weeks of completion of the program at salaries ranging from Rs. 8,500 – Rs. 24,000 per month. ETASHA regularly places trainees with companies like Croma, Amazon, Hamley’s, Apple Stores, Nike Stores, Marks & Spencer, UniClo, Miniso, Lifestyle, Shoppers stop, Net Ambit, KFC, CCD, PVR, Wave Cinemas, Sunbeam, Green Façade, Eco green, DKPL Network Solutions, Hi- Tech Automation, SPH Associates, NkBansal, Jain & Associates and Aegis among others. The placement over 15 years has averaged 70% of trainees completing the programs. In the last 3 years it has ranged between 75% and 80%

Currently the following programs are offered:

• SMART Online Job-Readiness Program – short duration
• Confidence in Computers & Customer Service (CCCS) - for entry level jobs in the Retail, E-commerce, ITES & BPO & Office Management sectors
• Confidence in Account, Taxation & Tally (CATT) for entry level jobs in the Accounting area
• Employability Skills Training and Placement for ITI & WCSC students

• Methodology used to train youth is participative and interactive, focusing on experiential learning, which has a long lasting impact
• Course content is developed based on the job market and modifications are made as the job requirement change.
• Keeping up today's demand of ability to use technology and attitude towards work, the course is designed to include all these skill sets
• Flexibility in delivery, i.e. online, has made it possible for youth from far off locations to also complete the course
• They believe in complete progress where the culmination of training is in being gainfully employed in an organized sector.