All about Pratham's Skilling program

India is home to one of the youngest and largest workforces in the world, but young people are facing a lack of skill development opportunities, fewer employment prospects in several industries, and notably low female labor force participation. Pratham’s Skilling program aims to support young people by providing them with employable skills, plus access to employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.

Pratham launched its vocational skilling, entrepreneurship and livelihoods arm in 2005 and re-designed its training model in 2020, incorporating digital resources and launching a “Hybrid Skilling” program. The program is now active across 17 states through 140+ centers.

Pratham’s Skilling program has cultivated an impressive alumni base of over 200,000 individuals – many of whom have gone on to secure meaningful employment and contribute positively to their communities – and reaches over 30,000 young people annually. Currently, just over 42% of Pratham Skilling’s annual program participants are women. We are dedicated to increasing this number to closer to 50%, with a particular focus on involving girls and women in non-traditional trades.

The program historically focused on sectors such as hospitality, healthcare, beauty, plumbing, welding, and construction, but as the job market evolves, so do our offerings. We now focus on four key areas: the care economy, STEM aligned, green skills and IT enabled services. Other initiatives include the entrepreneurship development program, upward mobility program, and a community-based training model.

Our goal is to enable every young person with the resources they need to follow their dreams. Join us by making a donation today! Learn more about our Skilling Program at prathamskilling.org