CSR: ‘Drive4Progress’, a driver skill development initiative aimed at empowering youth

Gurugram, India: Hyundai Motor India Foundation (HMIF), the philanthropic arm of Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (HMIL), today announced ‘Drive4Progress’, a driver skill development initiative aimed at providing driver skill development training and employment opportunities for youth. The project aims to cover 1 500 plus youth including women from Haryana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and West Bengal over the next 3 years.

Shri. Gaurav Singh, Additional Chief Executive Officer, Haryana State CSR Trust inaugurated the ‘Drive4Progress’ programme by handing over training kits to beneficiaries in the presence of Mr. Puneet Anand, AVP & Vertical Head – Corporate Affairs, Hyundai Motor India Limited. Navjyoti Transforming Lives & Careers Society, a Non-Governmental Organisation is the implementation agency for the programme. HMIF in collaboration with Navjyoti has envisaged the programme to create a talent pool of trained drivers from Below Poverty Line (BPL) communities and equip them with the necessary skills to become employed in the transportation industry.

Commenting on the importance of upskilling programs for youth, Shri. Gaurav Singh, Additional Chief Executive Officer, Haryana State CSR Trust said, “Drive4Progress programme is integral to the government’s vision of narrowing the skill gap in the country. Hyundai Motor India Foundation’s active involvement demonstrates how corporates can partner with the government to address the critical need for skilled manpower, ultimately contributing to the country’s socio-economic development and making India a powerhouse of skilled talent across diverse sectors.”

Speaking at the inauguration of ‘Drive4Progress’, Puneet Anand, AVP & Vertical Head – Corporate Affairs, Hyundai Motor India Ltd., said, “Under Hyundai’s global brand vision ‘Progress for Humanity’, Hyundai Motor India Foundation aims to align with the government’s overarching vision to address the growing demand for skilled manpower in India. ‘Drive4Progress’ initiative is of paramount importance as it directly contributes to fulfilling this vision by creating a pool of skilled drivers. By including women in this programme, Hyundai aims to promote inclusivity while also fostering women empowerment, thus breaking down gender barriers in traditionally male-dominated fields. This initiative under the aegis of Hyundai’s global CSV direction of ‘CONTINUE’ is committed to empower the ‘Future of India’ with necessary skills required to navigate the road to success. ‘Drive4Progress’ aims to become a gateway to India’s move towards creating an ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.”

Key Facets of ‘Drive4Progress’:

The programme entails 3 stages – mobilization, training, and employment creation.

1 500 plus beneficiaries in 15 cities across 5 states will receive 45 days of comprehensive training including theory, soft skills and practical driving lessons in their respective local languages.

As part of Drive4Progress programme, HMIF and Navjyoti will support the students to obtain permanent driving licenses and graduating students will be certified by National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) after the successful completion of training and assessments.

The Drive4Progress initiative will also focus on facilitating wage employment for a minimum of 70% of the beneficiaries and self-employment opportunities for the rest.