Plan and Accenture link up to train young unemployed in India and Vietnam

The partnership is committed to supporting disadvantaged young people.

2 May 2011: About 3,500 underprivileged young people in India and Vietnam will be trained for employment under a new Accenture and Plan International partnership.

The leading global consultancy firm and child rights organisation Plan have joined forces to provide skills to hundreds of 18-to-25 year olds to get a job or start their own business.

Reaching out to young people

Accenture is providing US$ 1.9 million financial support and commercial expertise for the pioneering scheme which will also reach out to young people in remote areas through world-class virtual training modules.

Free skills and training programmes will target industries such as information technology, customer relations and business process outsourcing where local demand for jobs is high.

The two-year scheme will bridge the gap between job supply and demand by matching disadvantaged young people with local opportunities through networks of employers.

Growth must benefit all

Plan International CEO Nigel Chapman said: “These are truly exciting times for the rapidly expanding economies and markets of India and Vietnam. But it must be remembered that this can easily exacerbate the widening gap between rich and poor.”

He added: “Accenture’s globally recognised know-how is a perfect match to Plan’s existing schemes and will help us reach marginalised young people and ensure that they too have the skills and opportunities to actively participate and share in the benefits of a growing nation. We are confident that a standardised model for the youth training programmes will have a ripple effect, allowing us to rapidly expand the programme worldwide.”

Building on success in Vietnam

The partnership will build upon and expand Plan International’s ongoing educational project REACH in Vietnam. Over 80% of the 5,400 disadvantaged youth trained through the programme are now in stable employment. Accenture will assist the international charity in developing a business model to expand REACH to other developing countries.

Adrian Lajtha, chief leadership officer at Accenture said: “Supporting Plan International helps bring to life Accenture’s commitment to building skills – drawing on people’s passion, experience and dedication to developing and nurturing talent.” Accenture’s partnership with Plan International is part of its Skills to Succeed initiative that aims to equip 250,000 people by 2015 with the skills to get job or build businesses.

Lajtha added: “Plan is succeeding at a rapid pace and is proving that it’s possible to make a significant, lasting impact on the economic well-being of individuals by developing skills and connecting people with the right job opportunities.”

The new partnership was launched first in India this year and it is planned to roll it out internationally with Haiti and Tanzania being considered among the next countries.

ENDS

 
Editor’s notes:

• The REACH training scheme costs an average of $250 per participant but can raise personal income by tenfold or more.
• REACH uses regular ‘Market Scans’ and a proactive network of more than 700 businesses
• Common challenges faced by REACH students include: Living with HIV, homelessness, being orphaned, or living with a parent with disability or fatal illness.
• The award is part of Accenture’s Skills to Succeed initiative, which aims to equip 250,000 people by 2015 with the skills to get jobs or build businesses. 

Founded over 70 years ago, Plan is one of the oldest and largest children's development organisations in the world. We work in 48 developing countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas to promote child rights and lift millions of children out of poverty.

Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world's most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments.

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