National Skill Development Corporation to empower retailers in U.P and Odisha together with Coca-Cola India

Within a month of launching the platform Skill India Digital, the Government of India is taking steps to empower the citizens while making active use of the same. With the aim of empowering the retailer community especially in the states of Odisha and Uttar Pradesh, the National Skill Development Corporation has announced a partnership with Coca-Cola India to launch the Super Power Retailer Program under the Skill India Mission. The programme is being piloted in the state of Odisha.

The partnership between NSDC working under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Coca-Cola India was formally announced this week in the presence of the Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan; Ved Mani Tiwari, COO, NSDC; and Sanket Ray, President, Coca-Cola India & Southwest Asia.

Under this initiative, retailers will be trained both face to face in classroom and virtually. The modules will be hosted on Skill India Digital’s platform.

Training retailers

Speaking on the occasion, Dharmendra Pradhan mentioned that the launch of the Super Power Retailer will empower retailers and provide them with training to expand their businesses and enhance consumer experiences. The initiative will play a pivotal role in strengthening India’s economy by skilling, reskilling, and upskilling the retailers and will provide 14 hours of quality retail training through the Skill India Digital Portal to 1.40 crore retailers of the country, he added.

The retailers will be trained on how to plan and implement business strategies and utilise the vast opportunities extended by digital platforms, the minister informed. These training modules will be available in multiple languages which will enable small shopkeepers as well as big businessmen across the country. This initiative will enable a retail ecosystem that will exceed customer expectations, embrace the Future of Work, and provide exponential growth to the industry, Mr. Pradhan further said.

Supporting small and micro retailers

The Super Power Retailer Programme will facilitate the empowerment and progress of the retailers, as part of Skill India’s efforts to support the workforce. The initiative focuses on enabling retailers by focusing on building their capacity and capability in today’s modern retailing sector. It aims to provide training to small and micro retailers, equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to better understand consumer behaviours and their preferences.

Retailers will be provided with skills, tools and techniques that are required to succeed in the constantly changing retailer ecosystem and to spread knowledge of best practices, equipping traditional retailers with the right skill set necessary to make their business more profitable as well as build their business skills.

Industry-specific skills

The programme will offer industry-specific skills such as customer management, inventory and stock management, financial management etc. that are tailored to the professional needs of retailers, making the retailers proficient and enhancing their knowledge.

The 14-hour training will comprise two hours of classroom sessions and 12 hours of digital training. It will include physical classroom sessions along with an app-based Learning Management System that is accessible on mobile and handheld devices for online modules.

The modules will be hosted on Skill India Digital’s platform and the training will be executed through a multimedia approach with a blend of videos, and texts, by experienced trainers facilitating learning. The participants will receive a certificate upon completion of classroom, online training, and assessment modules.

Under the partnership, NSDC will support Coca-Cola India in expanding the program’s outreach on Skill India Digital. This involves creating and refining training content that aligns with industry-specific skill requirements. Additionally, NSDC will facilitate the recruitment of trainers for programme implementation and ensure a seamless learning experience by providing the requisite training infrastructure.

What is Skill India Digital

To ensure better access to quality skill development, relevant opportunities and entrepreneurial support, the Government of India launched Skill India Digital in September, this year. This is a comprehensive digital platform aimed at synergising and transforming the skills, education, employment, and entrepreneurship landscape of India.

Skill India Digital is the Digital Public Infrastructure for skilling, education, employment, and entrepreneurship ecosystem of India. Driven by the vision to make skill development more innovative, accessible, and personalised in its embodiment, focusing on digital technology and Industry 4.0 skills, the state-of the- art platform accelerates skilled talent hiring, facilitating lifelong learning and career advancement.

Skill India Digital started its journey with a commitment of being user-friendly. It aims to remove existing obstacles by offering an easy-to-use interface which is adaptable to various devices. This is ensuring that people from diverse backgrounds could access the platform effortlessly, regardless of the technology they had.

In a country with many languages, Skill India Digital aims to bridge gaps by supporting multiple Indian Languages, fostering inclusivity and a diverse learning environment for all the users.