GRAS Academy is an ISO 9001:2008 certified company, a pioneer in the field of vocational skills industry in India, has been successfully conducting training programmes to enhance youth employability and skill set development in rural and semi-urban areas and has improved life of thousands of youth across India.

Lucknow, 16th May 2011: GRAS Academy launched their Skills Development and Employment Center (SD & EC) today in Vidhan Sabha Marg, Hussainganj area, Lucknow. Gras Academy has lead the way, in the field of Vocational education in India, with a focus on offering courses that have enabled thousands of students across India to acquire skill set required to avail employment opportunities in various sectors of the growing Indian economy. The event was felicitated by Mr. Molindu Mishra, President, LUACTA (Lucknow University Associated Colleges Teachers Association)

Speaking at the launch, Mr. Tahsin Zahid, CEO & Director, GRAS Academy said, “It gives us immense pleasure to launch our center today. Lucknow has the growing number of talented pool of youth who would require skill development and up gradation training with increasing amount of corporate interest thus reducing the gap for needed skilled manpower. We hope and believe that being the leader in the industry and through our extensive experience and qualified trainers at the Lucknow skill-development centers we will create entrepreneurs out of the youth, increase their income generation potential, help them in utilization of prior education and personal talent and motivate them to participate in productive activity.”

In 2006, GRAS, an established vocational training provider launched its specialist division - Skill Development and Employment Centers (SD & EC), to encompass skill-development and enhancement across an array of industry verticals, which were a dire requirement by the big corporate and MNCs who were setting businesses in smaller cities and towns.

“Leading industry and corporate bodies, from diverse sectors spanning from FMCG, telecommunications, IT, BPO and retail etc., have associated with us where many of Gras Academy students are working at good packages, while a lot of others have turned entrepreneurs and are now capable and running their own outfits.” he further added.

The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), a Section 25 company promoted by the Finance Ministry to catalyze private sector involvement in training manpower, has decided to fund GRAS Academy which aims to skill 1.3 million youth in different trades across 21 states and 176 districts over a 10-year period.

NSDC would provide loan to GRAS for executing the project that will provide training in organized retail, healthcare, services, building and construction, automobiles and auto components, tourism, hospitality and the travel trade, electronics, IT, and banking and insurance. The scope of the venture would also extend to imparting spoken English skills to the trainees. NSDC will support GRAS to set up 325 skill development centres in pan-India. It will facilitate to upgrade skills to international standards through significant industry involvement and develop necessary frameworks for standard curriculum and quality assurance to GRAS.

PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) is also associated with Gras Academy for conducting the assessments of passing out students and providing them with an industry relevant certificate, thus certifying their skill set which they acquire during their training at GRAS. As a part of its social responsibility, the Chamber has three voluntary organizations for fulfilling its commitments to the cause of socio-economic development and to promote the role of corporate sector for the upliftment of rural masses. Through the support of its members, the Chamber has contributed GRAS Academy in a kind towards certifying the skills of the students.

GRAS Academy realizes the potential the youth, especially the girl child, has in the development of the society and the country and in its endeavor to empower them would be providing free education to 10 girls every month with further 50% scholarship on tuition fees for all the girls across all the 30 centers that the academy will be launching in this quarter in Tier II and III cities (of Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal and Punjab). They already have special scholarship schemes for underprivileged girls.

Calling it as a beginning of the next phase of Lucknow growth story, Mr. Molindu Mishra, President, Lucknow University Associated Colleges Teachers Association said, “GRAS has already set up various centers across India to train the unemployed youth in job skills and has also successfully provided them placements with renowned Organizations. We all share a common desire to bring about social change by empowering the unemployed and out - of - work youth with vocational skills and make them ‘Eduployable’ [Educated + Employable], capable of earning a livelihood and support their families”.

GRAS Skill Development and Employment Center offers nearly 50 short duration practical courses to semi-urban and rural youths. These courses are of eight to twelve weeks duration and focus on specific skills development in areas that have been identified as having income generating potential for the students. The company is gearing up to open around 250 centers in the country in three years time, covering all domains. GRAS Academy is launching two more centers in Lucknow tomorrow in Kapoorthala Aliganj and in Mangal puri Ismailganj area, by adding more value to the rural employment.

About GRAS Academy
A pioneer in its vision of bringing an integrated approach to the vocational skills industry in India, GRAS Academy conducts training programmes to enhance youth employability and helps with skills development in rural and semi-urban areas to improve life for thousands of youth.

The academy works in both urban and rural areas, delivering programmes that support individuals, corporate and government initiatives offering vocational training and skills development as well as supporting employment opportunities. GRAS has tie-ups with various State Governments, Central Government Initiatives, NGOs and International Bodies for providing industry-oriented training courses for local youth. It also assists in providing job placements for its students. The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) has decided to fund GRAS Academy which aims to skill 1.3 million youth in different trades across 21 states and 176 districts over a 10-year period. PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) is also associated with Gras Academy for conducting the assessments of passing out students and providing them with an industry relevant certificate.