In an attempt to get skilled manpower, Bharti Wal-Mart Pvt Ltd, the joint venture between Bharti Enterprises and Wal-Mart Stores Inc for wholesale cash-and-carry and back-end supply chain management operations in India, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the government of Punjab to establish a special skills training centre in Amritsar.
This public-private partnership has been forged with the aim of bridging the shortage of skilled workers for cash-and-carry and organised retail formats, said a company press release.
Branded as ‘Bharti Wal-Mart Training Centre’, the centre will initially offer short-term vocational certification courses that will equip candidates to become floor and sales assistants or supervisors through a special curriculum developed by Wal-Mart and Bharti Learning Systems.
Raj Jain, MD and CEO, Bharti Wal-Mart Pvt Ltd, said, “Specialised operations like cash-and-carry and other organised retail formats promise good growth and job prospects, but they require a customer service mindset and very different skills from what is available today. The government of Punjab is very progressive in its outlook and is firmly committed to providing an environment that promotes both employment and employability. We look forward to partnering them in this joint effort to bridge the skills gap and enhance employability.”
“At a later stage when our skill centre capacity is fully utilised, we will explore the possibility of using classrooms at other ITIs/polytechnics across Punjab,” added Jain.
The centre is expected to train approximately 125 candidates each month and offer 100 per cent scholarship to all enrolled candidates, added the release.
