Press Releases

Vedanta Aluminium Empowers More Than 15,000 Youth Across India Through Transformative Skilling Initiatives

• On World Youth Skills Day, Vedanta celebrates inclusive growth, grassroots innovation, and high-impact employability across its business units

New Delhi, July 15, 2025: On World Youth Skills Day, Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest aluminium producer, announced that it has empowered over 15,000 youth across the country through its dynamic and community-rooted skilling programs.  These initiatives, spanning rural and industrial regions across Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh, are building job-ready capabilities in high-demand trades and unlocking inclusive, sustainable livelihoods.

The company’s skilling efforts are aligned with local needs and global industry trends, offering hands-on training in over 25 trades, from solar energy and hospitality to mobile repair and CNC operations. The programs are supported by robust post-training pathways, including certifications, job placements, and entrepreneurship incubation. Placement rates exceed 70% across its training centres, implemented in partnership with state agencies like Odisha Skill Development Authority (OSDA) and NABARD, and industry-aligned institutions like CEMS.

Vedanta has trained and subsequently absorbed over 500 apprentices under the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) and 18 ITI apprentices across its operations. Initiatives like Project Panchhi support higher education and employment for first-generation female students from low-income households, while more than 50 interns from the Prime Minister’s Internship Scheme are currently gaining industry exposure at Vedanta’s plants, equipping them with industry ready skills.

Rajiv Kumar, CEO, Vedanta Aluminium, said, “At Vedanta, we believe skilling is a nation-building exercise. Our initiatives are not just creating livelihoods; they are fostering dignity and confidence, and building a new generation of changemakers across India’s rural heartlands. Our approach is deeply rooted in local realities while aligned with national priorities like Make in India, Skill India, and Aatmanirbhar Bharat. We see human capital as the most powerful catalyst for socio-economic transformation.”

• In Lanjigarh, Odisha, Vedanta Aluminium’s skill development efforts have touched more than 700 youth. With over 55% of the trainees being women, the program is focused on inclusivity and economic independence. The unit maintains two skill training centres, supported by partnerships with NABARD and the Odisha Skill Development Authority (OSDA). Training is provided in hospitality, computer literacy, and in high-demand trades such as welding, fitting, electrician services, and crane operations. Post-training, 76% of the participants have been placed in MSMEs, industries, or have transitioned into self-employment.
• At BALCO, Chhattisgarh, 1,414 youth were trained last year across seven trades including solar PV, welding, fitting, electricals, sewing machine operation, food and beverage service, and mobile repair technology. Around 72% of the trainees were women. With a 78% placement and self-employment rate, trainees have been placed in reputed organizations such as Ashok Leyland, Crompton, and Volvo Eicher. BALCO’s skilling model is enhanced through partnerships with multiple organizations, and complemented by soft skills clubs, safety awareness sessions, and guest interactions like the Indigo Crew Initiative. Since the establishment of the Vedanta Skill School in 2011, the program has reached 22 districts across 11 states, becoming a cornerstone of Vedanta’s workforce development efforts.
• In Jharsuguda, Odisha, 162 youth have been trained through initiatives like VeDakshata, the region’s first residential skilling centre. Over the next three years, it aims to train 500 youth with a placement target of more than 70%, reinforcing Vedanta’s mission to build a future-ready workforce. Over 150 women trained under Subhalaxmi co-operative around mobile repairing, tailoring, food and beverage services, solar technology, handloom weaving, terracotta crafts, etc., have launched microenterprises across 35 villages. The unit also leads Project Vidyagraha, a flagship digital education program that has benefitted over 11,000 students in 106 government schools, bridging the digital divide.
• Across Vedanta’s mining operations in Odisha, 156 young individuals have been trained in trades such as food and beverage service, sewing machine operation, and assistant electrician roles. The training has reached more than 30 villages through grassroots mobilization. Additionally, 46 of these trainees were supported in launching entrepreneurial ventures, fostering local economic self-reliance and enterprise development.
• In Vizag General Cargo Berth, Andhra Pradesh, 90 youth – including 80 women – have been trained through a focused partnership with the Centre of Excellence for Maritime and Shipbuilding (CEMS), backed by the Ministry of Shipping and Waterways. The program boasts a remarkable 92% placement rate, with candidates employed in companies like Amazon, Placement Park, Wheels India, and Sri City. More than 75% of these candidates have successfully transitioned into micro-entrepreneurship, managing jute bag making and lacquer toy production units. VGCB has also launched Project Shiksha, a digital literacy initiative that is bringing digital literacy to 1,200 students.

With strong institutional partnerships, industry-aligned curriculum, and unwavering focus on social impact, Vedanta Aluminium is advancing economic mobility, gender inclusion, and workforce development at scale, helping prepare India’s youth for the opportunities of a rapidly evolving economy.