In a world where degrees are abundant, but job readiness is lacking, vocational training is emerging as the real game-changer. And, for one young woman from Bicholim, North Goa, a skill development centre at an airport became the runway to a new life.
Dhanashri Anand Naik’s life turned upside down when she lost her father at the age of 18. With the burden of supporting her mother and brother, she had no option, but to take up a basic job at a manufacturing unit.
But, life threw another curveball. She was laid off, leaving her unemployed, anxious, and unsure of the future.
It was during this challenging phase that Dhanashri discovered the Aviation Skill Development Centre (ASDC) at GMR Goa International Airport Ltd. (GGIAL).
Located within the Manohar International Airport campus in Mopa, North Goa, the ASDC was set up with a vision to empower Goa’s unemployed youth by offering them access to industry-relevant vocational training and a pathway to dignified employment.
Seeing a glimmer of hope, Dhanashri enrolled in the Retail Sales Associate course, a 90-day training programme that covered technical knowledge, soft skills, and workplace communication. The course not only provided her with professional tools, but also helped rebuild her confidence, vision, and belief in a better future.
Her transformation was swift and impactful. Through a campus interview facilitated by ASDC, Dhanashri was selected by Celebi Company and began working as a Passenger Service Executive at the Manohar International Airport, the very place that had empowered her.
Today, Dhanashri enjoys financial stability, dignity and a renewed sense of purpose. Her success story is just one of many shaped by ASDC’s mission to upskill Goa’s youth.
In FY 2023-24 alone, 1,125 candidates were trained across various vocational programmes at ASDC, and 1,070 of them secured employment with leading firms, a placement rate that speaks volumes.
As Dhanashri puts it, “The ASDC didn’t just give me a job; it gave me my confidence back, and reminded me that I can dream big again.”
In a competitive job market, it's not just the degrees that make a difference. Skills too play a big part, and centres like ASDC are proving to be catalysts of change.