Recently, EDII in collaboration with the State Bank of India Foundation (SBIF) undertook a transformative partnership for the skill development and training of persons with disabilities (PwDs) under the Swavlamban project.
With over 40 years of experience in entrepreneurship education and training, EDII has become a recognized Centre of Excellence in the skilling ecosystem. The institute collaborates with the government, start-ups, industrial associations, and other corporate social responsibility (CSR) bodies to implement skill development and training programs, promoting the empowerment of people with disabilities.
In this interview with TheCSRUniverse, Dr. Sunil Shukla, Director General of the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII) talks about the recent partnership with SBIF, the institute’s curriculum and teaching methodologies, success stories from previous programs, the use of technology in training, and EDII's future plans for expanding its reach and impact in the skill development domain, and much more…
Scroll down to read the full interview.
Q: Can you provide an overview of the partnership between EDII and the State Bank of India Foundation (SBIF) for the skill development and training of persons with disabilities (PwDs) under the Swavlamban project?
A: EDII has partnered with the State Bank of India Foundation (SBIF) for growth cum counselling and training of 750 persons with disabilities (PwDs) under SBI’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project – Swavlamban. The main objective of the project is to support PwD entrepreneurs in expanding their market reach and ensuring an increase in their incomes. The implementation of the project will take place across multiple districts of Gujarat, including Anand, Kheda, Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, and Arvalli.
Q: How does EDII collaborate with the government, start-ups, industrial associations, and other CSR bodies to implement skill development and training programs and promote the empowerment of people with disabilities?
A: EDII possesses more than 40 years of experience in entrepreneurship education, training, skill building, MSME growth, start-ups, innovations, and institution building. It is a Centre of Excellence in the Skilling ecosystem, as recognised by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, GoI. So, given its experience and national outreach, EDII undertakes awareness creation, skill and entrepreneurship training, and mentoring & handholding support to ensure a high incidence of New Enterprise Creation and generation of livelihood opportunities.
Q: What are the specific areas or sectors targeted by EDII's skill development and training programs in partnership with corporate funders/CSR bodies? Could you provide some examples?
A: EDII works in a collaborative frame with governments and corporates to implement innovation-led projects for inclusive growth. So far, the institute has worked in over 23 states and 138 districts and impacted 68,950 lives through various projects and initiatives. Through its various interventions in different projects, EDII targets a wide range of sectors and areas to cater to the diverse needs of women, the disadvantaged, and the underprivileged. Under CSR initiatives, EDII has targeted skill building and new enterprise creation in a host of sectors including, agro and food processing; handicrafts and handloom, non-farm and agri-allied entrepreneurship; rural entrepreneurship; tourism sector, and several more.
Q: Could you elaborate on the enterprise promotion training that will be provided to 750 differently-abled individuals, including both individual entrepreneurs and Member Based Organizations (MBOs)? How will the formation of MBOs benefit the 250 differently-abled entrepreneurs, and what kind of support and mentoring will be provided to these organizations?
A: Under the project, EDII will provide enterprise promotion training to 750 differently-abled people including 500 individual entrepreneurs and 250 Member Based Organisations (MBOs) entrepreneurs.
Ten MBOs will be established, either as cooperatives or Self Help Groups (SHGs), to bring together these entrepreneurs to pool their resources, share knowledge and experiences, and collectively address challenges they may face. The MBOs will receive support and mentoring from EDII to facilitate the entrepreneurs’ growth and development. This support will include assistance in network-building and helping them establish connections with relevant stakeholders in different industries or sectors. EDII will also guide in expanding their market reach, enabling the MBOs to explore new markets and increase their customer base. Additionally, EDII will help them access financial resources and develop strategies for sustainable financing of their ventures. This involves guidance in securing loans, exploring government schemes or grants, and implementing effective financial management practices.
Q: How does EDII ensure that the skill development and training programs align with the needs and demands of industries and the job market?
A: EDII strongly believes in fostering job creators rather than job seekers. The institute recognizes the importance of entrepreneurship and self-employment in driving economic growth, creating job opportunities, and empowering individuals to shape their destinies. Hence, EDII strives to build and hone the skill of individuals, thus empowering them to be job creators and effectively contribute to economic growth and development.
Q: Could you share some success stories or case studies highlighting the impact of EDII's skill development and training programs conducted in partnership with CSR bodies?
A: By addressing the challenges faced by different sectors, EDII has empowered individuals, promoted sustainability, and contributed to inclusive growth and holistic development. To cite an example, EDII, in partnership with HSBC Bank and Ernst & Young (EY), implemented the HandMade in India project to build entrepreneurship skills among weavers across different handloom clusters in India. The project aimed to create an entrepreneurial ecosystem around these clusters and improve the livelihoods of weavers. By providing training and support to around 5,000 weavers, the project has enabled them to enhance their business acumen, access new markets, and develop sustainable enterprises.
SUCCESS STORIES
Success Story of Ashish Keshware:
40-year-old Mr. AshishKeshware, is a Handloom Manufacturer & Trader who runs a Handloom shop & Hotel named ‘Hotel Aashray&Aashray Handloom’ near Maheshwar. He employs other small weavers as well. Several tourists and celebrities from various fields (i.e. Bollywood, Sports, Politics, and Social Work) come to his shop to purchase MaheshwariSarees and other Handloom Materials.
Ashish visited the EDII-HMI project office in June 2020 as part of the UdyogAadhar Registration drive and came to know about the project in detail. He had since long been wanting to learn Digital Marketing for the promotion of his products.
So with this mandate, he attended the Digital Marketing- Social Media Marketing workshops. The workshop proved beneficial to him. Even before this training, he was into social media marketing but was not getting results, but this training completely altered his level of understanding as he learnt about using various apps and filters useful in Digital Marketing. He also got exposed to several other social media platforms like WhatsApp Business, Facebook Page & Paid Posts, Spark posts, Instagram, YouTube videos, Google Maps & Google My Business, Weebly Websites &InstaMozo Payment links. Also, he got trained in photography skills and product photoshoots which benefitted him and his sales started to increase. Post Lockdown, his sales increased up to 70 % through digital marketing.
He also attended the exhibition “Shrungar Exhibition” through sponsorship of EDII – HMI: at Vapi Gujarat and sold MaheshwariSaree worth Rs. 59000. Also, he received an order of Rs. 24000/- from a wholesale buyer and established contacts with 6 wholesale buyers from this exhibition. Mr. AshishKeshware expressed his thanks and gratitude to EDII-HMI project for training him and expanding his understanding of business and the contemporary ways and means that can be employed.
Success Story of Soudamini Meher:
Mrs. SoudaminiMeher, 42, comes from a traditional weaving family, where the major source of income comes from weaving. After marriage, Soudamini joined her husband in his weaving activities as she possessed a good knowledge of craft and designs. She gradually gained expertise in Bandha work, which is significantly played with, in SambalpuriSarees. Weavers practicing this art have good potential for growth.
Initially, she weaved a few sarees and sold them in the local market but given the training and exposure under HMI, she started selling her products online. Alongside this, Soudamini participated in many of EDII’s interventions and got to know about product development and publicity strategies. She was part of the team that attended the ToshaliMela exhibition at Bhubaneshwar in 2021. She says, “This was a great exposure and I learned new designs and got to know about customer taste.”
Similarly, Soudamini talks about her learnings from EDII’s programme on credit linkage and enterprise development. Soudamini credits EDII for her knowledge of enterprise setting up and management. She recalls how EDII gave her the confidence to form her own business, access bank credit through SHG, and employ two weavers to work for her.
Her saree production has increased to 6 per week which she sells between Rs. 4500 to Rs. 5200 per saree. The master trainer, Soudamini, looks forward to greener pastures.
Q: How does EDII measure and evaluate the effectiveness of its skill development and training programs? Are there any specific metrics or indicators used?
A: The institute avails various indicators to evaluate the effectiveness of its skill development and training programmes. One such measure is the ratio of new enterprises established by programme participants, which serves as an indicator of the programme's success in inspiring and supporting entrepreneurship. By tracking the number of new businesses created, EDII can assess the participant's ability to apply the acquired skills and knowledge to develop viable and sustainable ventures. Additionally, other relevant indicators of programme effectiveness include measuring the income growth of beneficiaries and the rate of employment generated. These evaluations provide valuable insights into the outcomes of EDII's skill development and training initiatives.
Q: Can you provide insights into the curriculum and teaching methodologies used in EDII's skill development and training programs? How are they designed to ensure practical learning and real-world application of skills?
A: EDII training under CSR focuses on building entrepreneurial competencies and skills in identified domains. Through classroom training, interactions with achievers, simulation exercises, and field visits, the beneficiaries are given all information on setting up their enterprises. They are handheld for around 12 months to ensure that they comply with all processes to set up their enterprises.
Q: How does EDII support the placement and job readiness of participants in its skill development and training programs? Are there any specific initiatives or partnerships in place to facilitate employment opportunities?
A: As stated earlier, EDII strongly believes in fostering job creators rather than job seekers.
Presently, there is a notable increase in awareness among individuals, especially young people, regarding the benefits of pursuing entrepreneurship as a career. It is widely understood that entrepreneurs do not necessarily need to come from a business background or possess significant financial resources. The recognition of entrepreneurship as a discipline that can be learned has led to more individuals embracing the path of entrepreneurship armed with knowledge, motivation, and awareness. EDII provides relevant skill sets to individuals, empowering them to be job creators.
Q: What role does technology play in EDII's skill development and training programs? Are there any digital platforms or tools used to enhance learning and engagement?
A: EDII has always emphasized learning via technology. For various domains, the Institute conducts especially curated Entrepreneurship Skill Development Programmes (ESDP) to enable new enterprises with a strong technical base. EDII's emphasis on digital literacy empowers participants to leverage technology for their entrepreneurial endeavours and stay competitive in the digital age. The Institute equips participants with the necessary technical knowledge and skills to use the power of various digital platforms to launch their products, expand their market reach, and network, adopt ease-of-doing business options etc. The Institute also houses a Technical Business Incubator on its Campus. This was catalysed and supported by the National Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB), DST, Govt. of India. CrAdLE extends technical expertise, advice, mentoring, and assistance in the business plan, networking, sources of financing, and working space to pioneering ideas in the segments of manufacturing, food processing, renewable energy, healthcare, and many other emerging areas.
Q: How does EDII foster entrepreneurship and promote self-employment among participants of its skill development and training programs? Are there any specific initiatives or resources dedicated to supporting aspiring entrepreneurs?
A: EDII offers several initiatives and resources to support aspiring entrepreneurs:
- EDII conducts comprehensive programmes that provide participants with the required knowledge, skillset, and mindset to start and manage their businesses. These programmes cover various aspects of entrepreneurship, including business planning, market research, financial management, and marketing strategies.
- EDII guides experienced entrepreneurs and industry experts who help participants refine their business ideas, develop business plans, and navigate through the challenges of starting a venture.
- EDII facilitates networking opportunities for participants to connect with industry professionals, potential investors, and other entrepreneurs.
- EDII assists participants in accessing financial support for their entrepreneurial ventures.
- EDII also offers specialized training programmes to enhance specific skills required for certain industries or sectors. The Institute empowers participants to transform their skills and knowledge into viable entrepreneurial ventures, thus fostering a culture of an entrepreneurial ecosystem.
- EDII assists participants in assessing the viability and potential of their business ideas and coming up with a bankable project report. This helps participants take calculative risks and develop strategies that can align with market demands and trends.
Q: What are the future plans or goals of EDII regarding its skill development and training programs? How does the institute envision expanding its reach and impact in this domain?
A: EDII works closely with Government mandates and initiatives toward popularising entrepreneurship as a preferred career option. With its PAN India branch offices, it intends to expand its reach even further and reach out to sectors and sections of people across various echelons of society including youths, women, disadvantaged communities, minorities, and several others.
