Director of the vocational training J D Bhotange pointed out that the retail industry will require 2.5 million people over the next five years and in Maharashtra alone, the industry will require 300,000 people.
Currently, the industry has to give people on-the-job training and it is a time-consuming process, he noted. Realising this need for trained man power for the industry, which offers a great job opportunity to those who are just SSC or HSC pass, the Maharashtra government has become the first state government to start such a course, added Bhotange.
Currently, the government is offering this six months course at 15 ITI institutes in Mumbai and Pune and has plans to offer it at ITIs in other parts of the state as well. A simple entrance test and interview are required for admission to the course. Students do not have to pay any fee. Instead, they are paid a stipend of Rs 1,000 per month during the duration of course, Bhotange noted.
The six-month course is divided into two modules - one is classroom training and the other is an on-the-job training. In the classroom training, "we give tips to students about bringing changes in themselves and making themselves presentable to customers; introduction to spoken English; how to bill the items and mock sessions on selling of various categories items like cloths, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), white goods, etc.", said Bhotange.
And for the on-the-job training, the Maharashtra government has tied up with retail chains like Reliance Retail, Pantaloon and Shopper's Stop.
The government also plans to start courses in store management and logistics management for the retail industry, which will provide middle-level, manpower to the industry. Minister for higher and technical education Dilip Walse-Patil told Business Standard: "Offering traditional courses of plumber, electrician, refrigeration mechanic or draftsmen is not enough if we have to ensure youth from the state finds a jobs in changing and growing economy."
The services sector is growing, the aviation and retail sectors especially are booming and they have potential to offer jobs to lakhs of youths and that's why last year, the state government started courses in aircraft maintenance, ground operations, etc., and now we are offering courses for the retail sector, he noted.
But are these courses really helpful for the industry? "It does help to get trained people, but it is really tough to train them to deliver as per our requirement," notes Rajan Malhotra, chief executive officer of the Big Bazaar chain.
