India CSR News Network
MUMBAI: Asian Paints has been engaged in training unskilled labour in to skilled professionals since 2005. It all started with the requirement of training contractors for our professional painting set up – Asian Paints Ezycolour Home Solutions. The training indeed helped them offer something new, and in-turn earn more from their daily work. In 2008 Asian Paints started its first Colour Academy in Chennai to train painters and contractors from the market.
At present, there are 11 such academies equipped with modern training facilities such as AV classrooms, professional painting workshops and painting booths situated in major painter’s hub and metros like Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Gorakhpur, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad, and Cochin.
In addition, there are also mobile Colour Academies operating in areas such as Kerala, Punjab, Chandigarh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and upcoming places like North East, Bihar & Jharkhand. Colour Academy aims to offer best training facilities and helps in creating modern age paint applicators and decorators.
It was observed that most of the painters and contractors were starved for recognition and an identity they can proudly own.
There was an implicit need for a rallying call that can inspire and direct them in the right direction. Naam Hoga Toh Kaam Hoga became this mantra that attracted huge numbers. Asian Paints ended up training more than 25,000 people through Colour Academy, Saroj being one of them. Saroj was not a born leader. She was driven by family responsibilities and expectations like most of us.
Money was just a mean to an end. But then one day everything changed. She was introduced to Colour Academy by a relative of hers who was a painting contractor. After that there was no looking back. She built a team of her own and entered the Academy brimming with enthusiasm and newfound energy.
The entire team picked up painting skills and techniques very quickly and passed out with flying colours. They soon got booked for multiple sites and left customers delighted by their perfect finish and professional behavior. Work for Saroj now finally turned into passion and money was not only a mean but the reward of leading a purposeful life.
The objective of Saroj’s film was to generate more and more awareness around Colour Academy which is transforming the lives of unskilled labour by providing them with skills and support. The skill leads to respect and recognition which brings alive the central thought; “Naam Hoga Toh Kaam Hoga.” This story speaks for millions of hardworking women and labours of India who haven’t got the due recognition for their contribution. It is inspiring for everyone who watches it and it hopefully motivates them to be a part of the Colour Academy success story either by joining themselves or by nominating someone who needs to transform
their life.
