Gurugram - March 29, 2023: The Flipkart Foundation, under the Flipkart Group, has partnered with Trust for Retailers and Retail Associates of India (TRRAIN) for a training program that aims at upskilling and catalysing employment of PwDs. This initiative, called Pankh - Wings of Destiny, seeks to propagate and encourage inclusive growth besides equipping individuals with disabilities with job-ready skills. It subsequently works towards providing them with employment opportunities in retail and allied industries, including logistics, warehouse, e-commerce, NBFCs, and the IT sector.
The target beneficiaries are people with speech and hearing disabilities and persons with locomotor disabilities between the ages of 18-28 years who have completed their SSC/SSLC (Secondary School Leaving Certificate). A small percentage of youth with low vision and other disabilities will also be trained. A total of 50 beneficiaries will be trained at the two Pankh Physical Classroom centres in Gurugram and Bengaluru (25 each).
Training Components
The training will impart a wide spectrum of skills with a focus on three key areas:
English language
Sector-specific training
Life skills in an interactive and easy-to-learn manner
A 45-day residential training will be included, providing trainees with hands-on practical experience through role plays and games, exposure visits to malls and retail labs, and guest lectures from industry experts.
Certification and Placement
Post-completion of training, the beneficiaries will be given Retailers Association Skill Council of India (RASCI) certificates. Various partner employers will be invited to evaluate and interview the candidates for placements.
Rajneesh Kumar, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Flipkart and Board of Director, Flipkart Foundation, said, "At Flipkart Foundation, our focus is towards changing the narrative that disabilities can be a hindrance in the path of learning, growth, and success ... This concerted effort is yet another step towards creating a more inclusive and equitable society, where otherwise talent is equally distributed, but opportunities are not."
Ameesha Prabhu, CEO of TRRAIN, said, "Our goal is to create gainful livelihood for the skilled beneficiaries being placed in jobs and to sensitize the retail industry fraternity towards generating employment opportunities for PwDs. This initiative envisions a society with sustainable job opportunities in retail, e-commerce, food delivery, and ancillary services for the youth."
The Flipkart Foundation has worked with underserved communities in the past year across nine states: Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Haryana, Karnataka, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.
About the Flipkart Group
The Flipkart Group is one of India's leading digital commerce entities. It includes group companies Flipkart, Myntra, Flipkart Wholesale, Flipkart Health+, and Cleartrip. Established in 2007, Flipkart has enabled millions of sellers, merchants, and small businesses to participate in India's digital commerce revolution. It has a registered customer base of more than 450 million , with over 11 lakh sellers on the platform. Flipkart is known for pioneering services such as Cash on Delivery, No Cost EMI, and easy returns.
For more information, please write to media@flipkart.com.
