Sulabh Vocational Training Centre
Vocational Training includes training for all people who are at work or are preparing for it from the level of manual workers, craftsmen, technician to technologists, etc. Training enables people to think and act in efficient, scientific and disciplined manner. The development of human skills is the best form of investment for the economic development of a nation. The number of persons undergoing vocational or occupational training in a country could be taken as an index of its pace and stage of development. It is, therefore, necessary that vocational training should be properly planned and developed so that both the individual and society can be benefited by it. To keep pace with the rapidly changing technology, human resource development has to be improved simultaneously by upgrading and updating skills by modular as well as advanced training systems. Taking these factors into consideration, the Sulabh Vocational Centre has therefore been dynamic in terms of coverage, content and delivery thereof.
Sulabh Vocational Training Centre was envisaged for training the next generation in different trades and re-orienting the existing generation who have been won over from scavenging and the likes. Sulabh Vocational Training Centre was set up in Delhi in 1993. The Centre aims to provide training to boys and girls from weaker sections of Indian society, especially the Valmikis, so that they make utmost use of their newly acquired talents, achieve better economic status and intermingle easily with the society. As of now, the centre offers training facilities in ten diverse trades:- audio-visual repair, beauty-care, computer, fashion designing, electrical, shorthand, typing, cutting and tailoring, and embroidery. A course on mobile repair and maintenance was added in 2008-09. Earlier it also used to offer training in motor driving. To cope with the demand, the centre functions in two shifts - forenoon and afternoon but some classes are held throughout the day.
Training in two trades, English - Stenography and Cutting and Sewing are of one year duration. The course contents and training methods follow the Industrial Training Institute (ITI) Delhi Government pattern. Their examinations are conducted by the Directorate of Training and Technical Education, Government of Delhi and certificates are awarded by them.
The main focus of the Sulabh initiative is to provide free coaching to dropouts so that they become eligible to join the mainstream of education again. The second focus is on those children who get admission in schools, but their performance in classes is below par and there is high possibility of their being dropped owing to absence of support. We are preparing these slum dwelling children by giving additional academic attention so that they come on a par with others studying in classes. Care is also taken to ensure that no inferiority complex is imbibed by these slum dwelling students. The third highlight of this Programme is a focus on those children who shun away completely and roam the streets without being exposed to any mode of formal education. 44 such students were trained in the year, 2009-10 and 38 in 2010-11. Since the inception of this Programme, 301 students have benefited from this activity. The fourth area focuses on providing training in simple skills to enable the children to earn an income and / or supplement their parents’ income. 175 children underwent training last year. Over 750 children have benefited under the Programme since its inception.
