(Newswire Today) —  Chandigarh, India, 2007-10-01 - PepsiCo foundation has helped more than 1500 tsunami affected youth between the age group 18-35 years in getting employment with some of the leading companies such as Vodafone, Airtel, ICICI Bank, Reliance Industries, Nokia and Hero Honda.

They were trained at the Livelihood Resource Centre (LRC).

This innovative employability skill development initiative was undertaken by Pepsico Foundation in association with the CAP Foundation in September 2005. Recently, another batch of 300 students got graduation certificates. LRC largely aims at providing Employability Training Program, Entrepreneurship Development Program and Micro Enterprise Support to these youth. PepsiCo foundation has funded LRC with a total grant of Rs 1 crore.

The core focus of the program was to rehabilitate the youth between the age group 18-35 years who had lost family or livelihood in the disastrous environmental calamity. The training was provided in 6 market driven skill training courses Customer Relations & Sales, Hospitality, Automobile mechanism, IT Enabled service, Multi Skilled training (Electrical & electronics, plumbing, house wiring) and White Goods Services, R &A/C (refrigeration and air-conditioning).

Equipping them with softer skills, students were also provided career counseling & guidance, personality development exercises, spoken English and computer literacy skills along with the placement opportunities.

The selection process was based on assessment of the student’s present economic situation, their interests and aptitudes, testing, counseling and interviews. Most of the students under the program are 10th and 12th class dropouts and mainly belong to the fishing communities of Nagapattinam.

Additionally, more than 300 men and women were provided Entrepreneurship training; 233 men and women were provided venture support to initiate businesses like Dairy farming, integrated vegetable cultivation, Brick making, marketing of herbal products, Coir making, fish pickling.

PepsiCo is a world leader in convenience foods and beverages, with 2006 revenues of more than $35 billion and more than 168,000 employees across the world. Its world renowned brands are available in nearly 200 countries and territories. PepsiCo entered India in 1989 and has grown to become the country’s largest selling food and beverage companies. One of the largest multinational investors in the country, PepsiCo has established a business which aims to serve the long term dynamic needs of consumers in India.

Agency / Source: