Physically challenged graduates to be placed in MNCs

Placement drive in 588 colleges of TS to kick off next month

A placement drive for physically challenged students from 588 colleges across Telangana is set to commence next month. An MoU in this regard was inked between Youth4Jobs, a not-for-profit organisation and Telangana Academy of Skill and Knowledge (TASK) on Wednesday.

As per the MoU, the organisation will identify and support talented students enrolled in colleges registered with TASK. The students will have to fit various disability criteria and during the course of training, they will be groomed to meet job requirements of multi-national companies (MNCs). The companies and their human resource cells will also be introduced to students to showcase their talent. Youth4Jobs has trained and placed youngsters with disabilities in entry level jobs in about 500 companies over the last five years.

Candidates feted

At a meeting in the city, 375 persons with disabilities who had either completed their matriculation or intermediate were felicitated for securing employment. Secretary of Information Technology Jayesh Ranjan, who presented the mementoes to the youth, asked TASK and Youth4Jobs to “help the candidates build their career” since sustaining and growing in career is “as important as bagging a job”. Addressing the audience, Bollam Renuka, a physically challenged employee of a private company, said she makes ₹4.2 lakh annually for excelling in tasks assigned to her. “My first job was with Bank of America. I moved to another private company as they offered a better salary. My employers are pleased with my work,” Ms. Renuka said even as she asked persons with disabilities to join the finishing school before they apply for jobs.

Pokkula Praveen, a disabled employee at Amazon India, said an employer who had initially denied him a job, hired him after he was trained to face interviews. Currently, Mr. Praveen earns ₹2 lakh a year.

Encouraging the youth, Deputy Mayor Baba Fasiuddin said the State is committed to employ more persons with disabilities in the government sector. “The government will also encourage private placements for persons with disabilities. Believe in yourself if you want to succeed,” he added.

Jobs at Lifestyle

Retail fashion brand Lifestyle will fill five per cent of available posts across all its retail outlets with talented differently-abled persons. The retail chain has currently allocated 2 per cent of its sales jobs to persons with disabilities.

Speaking at Divyanga Udyogothsavam organised by Youth4Jobs, Lifestyle’s HR professional Navyata said all HR executives will have to recruit persons with disabilities as it is linked to their Key Result Areas. “I feel that talent should be recognised by other companies too, and more differently-abled people should get jobs,” she said.