OREANDA-NEWS. Tata Group’s Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) has tied up with the state government to set up a skill-training facility at the Industrial Training Institute (ITI), Lonavla.

The centre will provide training in cookery, bakery, steward skills, technical skills, retail assistant, beauty and salon. The academy will train around 1,000 youth from the neighbouring rural and marginalised areas in the 1st year of its operation and plans to train 5,000 youth every year in the next three years.

The training facility was inaugurated by chief minister Prithviraj Chavan. The initiative is part of IHCL’s corporate social responsibility endeavour of building sustainable livelihoods.

Taj Hotels trains and certifies youth from underprivileged and remote areas and offers various courses with an aim to provide immediate jobs. The Taj has over 36 skill-training centres in India in partnership with the government, foundations and NGOs.

Chavan said, “The underprivileged youth will get an opportunity to develop necessary skills sets for employment in the hospitality sector. It is a noble step by a brand synonymous with Indian hospitality.”

Raymond Bickson, managing director and chief executive officer, IHCL, said, “Through the vocational training facility at ITI, we are part of this unique scope to develop raw potential into skilled workforce. It is our endeavour to facilitate access to the less-privileged, school dropouts and youth in remote and marginalised areas to work opportunities in the hospitality industry.”

The ITI at Lonavala has achieved a milestone by setting up a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for hospitality skill training with partners like World Bank, state government and The Taj Group of Hotels. The facility aims to meet the requirements of the industrial belt in and around Lonavla, Kahhe, Talegaon and Dabhade areas and focuses on developing technical skilled workforce for the nearby industries.