Targeted skilling gives young women the confidence, capability, and opportunity to step out of the margins and enter the world of dignified work, stable income, and self-reliance.
Skill development has emerged as one of the most important tools for bridging India’s employment gap, especially for underprivileged young women. Across semi-urban and rural India, women continue to face barriers such as limited access to quality education, restricted mobility, socio-economic challenges, and inadequate exposure to formal employment opportunities.
PNB MetLife, through its Damini CSR programme, has been working with credible non-profit partners to create sustainable livelihood pathways for women and young girls. Its initiatives focus on industry-relevant skilling, job readiness, mentorship, digital skills, entrepreneurship, and income generation.
In this interview with Rusen Kumar, Editor, India CSR; Sourabh Lohtia, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, PNB MetLife, discusses how targeted skill development can help women enter the workforce, build financial independence, and contribute to inclusive economic growth.
Sourabh Lohtia says that targeted skilling can build confident futures for underprivileged women by opening pathways to employment, financial independence, and sustainable livelihoods.
Edited excerpts of an interview:
Q. Why is targeted skill development important in bridging the employment gap, especially for underprivileged young women?
India’s unemployment landscape continues to reflect a gender gap, with women experiencing lower employment levels than men. Among the underprivileged, structural barriers such as limited access to quality education, restricted mobility, socio-economic constraints, and inadequate exposure to formal employment opportunities often prevent them from participating in the formal workforce.
Targeted skill development plays a crucial role in bridging this gap. By equipping young women with industry-relevant and future-ready skills, they can transition from inactivity, informal work, or unpaid roles into paid employment. This helps build both economic independence and long-term resilience.
Importantly, the Indian job market is undergoing a transition. Today, there is a strong emphasis on practical skills, certifications, and real-world competencies. When aligned with market demand, targeted skilling initiatives become powerful tools for financial inclusion. They ensure that underprivileged young women are not left behind but are actively integrated into India’s workforce and growth story.
Q. How can skill training increase an individual’s chances of getting a job?
Skill training can significantly improve an individual’s chances of getting a job by equipping them with practical, job-ready skills that are aligned with market demand. As industries evolve rapidly, employers are increasingly prioritising execution-ready talent.
Global research also indicates that skill training can improve employment outcomes by 2–6% and increase earnings by around 8%, especially when linked to industry demand.
For underprivileged individuals, skill training creates access to employment opportunities even without higher academic qualifications. It helps them transition from informal backgrounds into structured livelihoods.
Proper skill training can enable entry into the workforce, improve income stability, and create a clear pathway for sustained career progression.
Q. How are these initiatives helping build inclusive economic growth and long-term livelihood resilience for women in semi-urban and rural India?
These initiatives are enabling inclusive growth by shifting women’s roles from informal contributors to recognised economic participants within local economies.
By organising women into collectives and linking them to credit, markets, and enterprise opportunities, women are gaining greater control over income, assets, and decision-making.
This enhanced financial independence is strengthening women’s social standing. It gives them a stronger voice within their families and greater respect and participation in society.
We will see a country where more women act as leaders, entrepreneurs, and drivers of growth in their careers and communities.
Q. How has PNB MetLife collaborated with different non-profits to create sustainable livelihoods and job opportunities?
PNB MetLife has collaborated with a range of credible non-profit partners with a clear focus on creating sustainable livelihoods and expanding job opportunities for young girls and women as part of its Damini CSR programme.
A key objective of these collaborations has been to enable income generation by equipping participants with industry-relevant skills and pathways to employment or entrepreneurship.
Through the Kshamta programme with Responsenet, PNB MetLife has trained 500 young women in customer care, data entry, and digital marketing skills. The programme focuses on young women aged 18 to 28 years, preparing them with industry-relevant and digital skills to improve job readiness, income potential, and access to sustainable livelihoods.
Around 70% of participants have secured sustainable livelihoods, with an average income of INR 17,000.
PNB MetLife also launched another CSR initiative, Future Ready – Skilling for Employability, in partnership with AIC GUSEC and Xcelevate Skills Foundation. The first batch of 28 beneficiaries was selected from over 750 nominations. These beneficiaries are undergoing intensive training and mentorship in Chennai to prepare for job placement and income-generation opportunities.
The company also has an ongoing project, Sakshi Swavalamban, with the Drishtee Foundation. Under this initiative, PNB MetLife has mobilised and trained over 2,700 women across rural communities, helping them access income-generation opportunities and build sustainable micro-enterprises.
These collaborations have ensured strong grassroots implementation, industry-aligned curriculum, and measurable outcomes. They are closely aligned with PNB MetLife’s purpose of “Always With You, Building A More Confident Future.”
Q. What is the growing role of corporate-NGO partnerships in scaling skill development initiatives for underprivileged girls?
Corporate-NGO partnerships are becoming an effective way to scale skill development programmes.
Companies provide funding, strategy, and industry knowledge. NGOs bring strong community connections and on-ground experience. Together, this makes programmes more impactful and easier to expand.
These partnerships help break social barriers, increase participation and completion rates, and ensure that training is relevant to local needs while also matching job market demands.
Q. What are the immediate goals that PNB MetLife has set for its flagship social projects, and how are you proceeding towards them?
PNB MetLife’s goals for CSR initiatives are focused on deepening employability outcomes, strengthening last-mile impact, and building sustainable livelihood pathways for women from underprivileged backgrounds.
The priority is to ensure that skilling efforts translate into meaningful, long-term economic participation and financial inclusion.
Q. While skilling is a critical first step, how important is post-training support, such as job placements, mentorship, and career guidance, in ensuring long-term employability for these women?
Post-training support is crucial because it is what truly translates skilling into sustained employability.
While training helps build capabilities, mentorship and exposure to industry professionals play a pivotal role in opening doors to job opportunities.
Employees from PNB MetLife have hosted several mock interview sessions with beneficiaries of the company’s CSR programmes. These sessions help participants build confidence, sharpen interview readiness, and better navigate the transition into the workforce.
Mentorship and career guidance also help women see pathways beyond their first job. It improves job retention, enables upward mobility, and helps women adapt to changing market demands over time.
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