Vedanta Aluminium, one of the leading aluminium producers in India, has reaffirmed its mission to empower the nation’s youth on National Youth Day. Emphasizing a comprehensive strategy, Vedanta Aluminium focuses on creating diverse opportunities for advancement within its operations. This approach encompasses extensive employment offerings with enriched job content across its world-class facilities, as well as initiatives to empower youth in local communities through education, skill development, grassroots sports, and training in traditional art forms.
Vedanta Aluminium, a division of Vedanta Limited, stands as one of the foremost aluminum producers in India, contributing over 50% to the nation’s aluminum production at 2.29 million tonnes in FY23. Known for its value-added aluminum products crucial to core industries, Vedanta Aluminium has secured the 2nd position in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) 2022 global rankings for the aluminum industry, reflecting its vision to sustainable development. Operating cutting-edge aluminum smelters, alumina refinery, and power plants in India, the company is focused on advancing aluminum’s potential as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a more environmentally conscious future.
Vedanta Aluminium operates some of the world’s largest facilities in the industry, including an aluminium smelter in Jharsuguda, an alumina refinery in Lanjigarh, Odisha, and aluminium producer BALCO in Korba, Chhattisgarh. Impressively, over 55% of Vedanta Aluminium’s workforce comprises talented individuals in their twenties, engaged in cutting-edge technologies to produce high-quality aluminium supplied to over 60 countries for various high-end applications. This positions them at the forefront of India’s growth story, showcasing considerable engineering prowess.
The youthfulness of Vedanta Aluminium’s average employee age, which falls between 26-28 years, represents India’s demographic dividend. Given the scale and scope of Vedanta Aluminium’s operations, these young talents are employed across diverse roles, such as engineering, mechatronics, sustainability, commodities, mining, geology, forensics, geophysics, and deep tech. The company has also established collaborations with leading educational institutions to train and upskill high-performing employees.
Beyond its primary focus on community development skill development, Vedanta Aluminium has successfully trained nearly 15,000 youths from its communities through various skilling programs. These initiatives bridge the gap between unskilled and semi-skilled youth by providing training in market-relevant vocational skills, entrepreneurship, climate-resilient agriculture, and the revival of traditional arts and crafts such as Saura and Dhokra. Project Panchhi, an initiative by Vedanta, aims to recruit 1000 girls from marginalized rural communities, providing financial support for their collegiate education and offering employment upon successful completion.
Vedanta Aluminium’s commitment aligns with key global goals, particularly the ‘Skill India’ vision and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 1 – No Poverty, SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth, and SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities. The company collaborates with esteemed knowledge providers such as NABARD, the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), Skill Development Institute (Bhubaneswar), and other top institutions to tailor training programs to meet the evolving needs of the market and the aspirations of the youth.
Over the years, Vedanta Aluminium has expanded its vocational skills programs, notably with initiatives like the Vedanta Skill School program in Korba, Chhattisgarh, offering training in various trades such as food & beverage, welding, tailoring, and hospitality. The company has also empowered women through the Subhalaxmi Co-operative in Odisha, supporting rural women in becoming successful entrepreneurs through micro-finance, skill development, financial literacy, and market linkage programs.
Through sustainable livelihood projects in Lanjigarh and the Mor Jal Mor Maati initiative in BALCO, Korba, Vedanta Aluminium offers training in integrated community-based interventions. These efforts aim to enhance incomes by promoting improved farming practices, water management, soil conservation, livestock husbandry, and other aspects, reviving farming among youth as a feasible means of livelihood. Vedanta Aluminium actively contributes to fostering increased entrepreneurship, sustainable economic development, and vibrant local economies across the country.
