For a long time, the city Corporation has been running a skill training centre for women at Kannammoola, training women from economically backward families in skills such as tailoring and handicrafts. Now, with the change in times, the civic body has upgraded the centre to a Women’s Technology Park, where technically qualified and unemployed women from lower income groups will take up outsourced work from other IT companies and government institutions.
The refurbishment of the building is almost over and the park is expected to start functioning in April.
“There are several highly qualified young women from poor families. Many of them do not even have the money to buy a laptop, with which they could take up projects from home. We will select girls from such families, based on their expertise, and make them work from the new park. They will be given laptops and they don’t need to pay rent for the space,” says Palayam Rajan, the Welfare Standing Committee Chairperson.
While giving final shape to the project, the Corporation had talks with the heads of several IT companies based in Technopark. One more meeting will be held before the opening of the park, to discuss the projects which can be outsourced to the park.
The Corporation will deduct only the running charges of the centre from the revenue generated. In the initial phase, the park will start off with 15-20 women. Depending on the volume of work, the plan is to introduce a shift system and increase the number of personnel.
The park’s running will be monitored by the Computer Training Centre, which is functioning from a building near the Corporation, imparting training in programming and hardware. The Corporation has given a supply order for computers to Keltron. The project was first envisaged in the 2012-13 budget and is expected to cost Rs.30 lakh.
The old skill training centre will be shifted to another building at Muttada.
Employees will get laptops; no need to pay rent
Corporation will deduct only running charges
