International Youth Day, observed on August 12 every year, serves as a reminder of the crucial role young people play in shaping the world's future. This day is dedicated to recognising challenges faced by the youth and promoting their engagement in social, economic, and political processes. The theme for this year's celebration, "Green skills for youth: Towards a sustainable world", revolves around the global transition towards sustainability, emphasising the importance of said skills in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

What are ‘green skills’?

Green skills are “knowledge, abilities, values, and attitudes needed to live in, develop, and support a sustainable and resource-efficient society.” As the world embarks on a more sustainable transition, the need for green skills becomes increasingly evident. For young individuals, these skills hold even greater significance as they have the potential to contribute to the transition in the long run.

Mahindra’s youth training and skilling initiatives

Recognising the importance of youth skilling, Mahindra Group has taken significant strides in empowering young people through its various youth training and skilling initiatives. These initiatives aim to equip young individuals with the necessary knowledge and abilities to contribute effectively to a sustainable and resource-efficient society.

Regenerative Agriculture and Project PRERNA

Two of Mahindra’s initiatives, catered towards the youth, are not only empowering women farmers but also nurturing the said ‘green skills’ among them.

Regenerative Agriculture focuses on enabling women farmers to use regenerative agriculture techniques to transform their soil, increase productivity, and ensure food and nutrition security for their families. This initiative has already provided knowledge of regenerative organic farming practises to 45,529 women farmers from various regions in India, helping them reduce input costs and increase income from crop sales.

Project PRERNA is dedicated to empowering women farmers by providing exposure to good agricultural and farm mechanisation practises to improve their livelihoods. It includes training, advisory services, access to gender-friendly farm equipment, and links to government welfare support initiatives. This has enhanced crop productivity for 11,111 women farmers across six states in F’23.

Initiatives like ‘Regenerative Agriculture’ and ‘Project PRERNA’ play a crucial role in fostering a greener and more sustainable future, with a focus on youth, who can contribute to the green transition in the long run.

These initiatives have not only fostered socio-economic development, but they have also supported the transition towards an environmentally sustainable and climate-friendly future.

Women economic empowerment in ITES and apparel sector

In line with the company's commitment to women's empowerment, this programme has provided vocational training and employment opportunities to women in Telangana and Tamil Nadu. So far, 7,076 women have been trained in domain-specific skills, with 6,232 of them being trained directly by the company.

Vocational training to youth

Mahindra has collaborated with the Pratham Education Foundation to offer vocational training to youth in Mohali (Punjab) and Nashik (Maharashtra). The project focuses on bridging the skill gap and enhancing employability skills in welding, electrical, and automotive streams. The training approach involved centre-based learning, on-the-job exposure, and placement assistance, helping 615 young individuals to secure better job prospects.

Mahindra Skill Excellence

This programme is another vital initiative that fosters holistic skill enhancement for shop floor associates. This internal platform has witnessed the participation of 2,967 associates across all manufacturing units, highlighting the company's commitment to nurturing talent from within.

Mahindra Pride Classrooms

In an effort to support the nation's goal of increasing women's labour force participation, the Mahindra Group transformed its Mahindra Pride Classrooms into a 100% women’s beneficiary programme. The initiative provides employability skill learning modules to final-year students in government colleges, ITIs, and polytechnic institutes. Covering critical skills like English speaking, life skills, interview preparedness, and digital literacy, this programme has trained an impressive 166,666 women across 19 states in India, with significant support from Mahindra & Mahindra.

On this International Youth Day, we celebrate Mahindra’s commitment to empower young individuals with green skills and foster their growth as responsible leaders. By equipping the youth with knowledge and abilities to contribute to a greener and sustainable world, Mahindra is making a significant impact in shaping a brighter future for generations to come. Let us continue to support and nurture the potential of our youth, for they are the architects of change and progress.