In an effort to support retailers in Odisha and Uttar Pradesh, the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), operating under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), has unveiled a collaboration with Coca-Cola India to introduce the Super Power Retailer Program as part of the Skill India Mission. This initiative is currently in the pilot phase in Odisha.
The official announcement of the partnership took place with the presence of key dignitaries, including Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Dharmendra Pradhan; NSDC’s Chief Operating Officer, Ved Mani Tiwari; and Sanket Ray, President of Coca-Cola India & Southwest Asia.
During the event, Dharmendra Pradhan highlighted that the Super Power Retailer launch, coinciding with the auspicious Durga Puja celebration, would empower retailers by offering training to expand their businesses and improve customer experiences. He emphasized that this initiative would be instrumental in bolstering India’s economy through the skill development, reskilling, and upskilling of retailers.
Pradhan further emphasized how this initiative, in alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ensuring that our workforce is the primary beneficiary of a thriving India, will deliver 14 hours of top-notch retail training to 1.40 crore retailers across the nation through the Skill India Digital Portal. He also noted that this training would equip retailers to effectively devise and execute business strategies while harnessing the numerous opportunities offered by digital platforms.
Pradhan also conveyed that these training modules would be accessible in various languages, ensuring that both small shopkeepers and large-scale businessmen across the nation can benefit. He further highlighted that this initiative would foster a retail ecosystem capable of surpassing customer expectations, embracing the future of work, and catalyzing exponential growth within the industry.
During this event, Coca-Cola recognized accomplished retailers and celebrated women who have achieved self-sufficiency through the application of their skills and entrepreneurial endeavors. Pradhan expressed his respect and admiration for the mothers of Odisha who have advanced their businesses with their intelligence and entrepreneurial acumen.
The Super Power Retailer Program is poised to empower and advance retailers, representing a significant milestone in Skill India’s endeavors to bolster the workforce. This initiative places its emphasis on enhancing the capacity and capabilities of retailers within the contemporary retail sector. Its primary objective is to educate and train small and micro retailers, equipping them with the knowledge and competencies necessary to gain a deeper understanding of consumer behaviors and preferences. Retailers will receive instruction, tools, and techniques essential for success in the ever-evolving retail landscape. This will, in turn, help disseminate best practices, providing traditional retailers with the requisite skill set to enhance profitability and bolster their business acumen.
The program is designed to deliver industry-specific skills, including customer management, inventory and stock management, and financial management, tailored to the specific professional requirements of retailers. This will enable retailers to attain proficiency and expand their knowledge. The training, spanning 14 hours, will encompass two hours of in-person classroom sessions and 12 hours of digital training. It will combine physical classroom instruction with access to an app-based Learning Management System (LMS) that can be used on mobile and handheld devices for online modules. These modules will be hosted on the Skill India Digital platform (SID). The training will employ a multimedia approach, incorporating a mix of videos and written materials, all facilitated by experienced trainers to support the learning process. Participants will receive a certificate upon successful completion of the classroom, online training, and assessment modules.
Through the collaboration, NSDC will assist Coca-Cola India in broadening the reach of the program on SID. This entails the development and enhancement of training content to match industry-specific skill demands. Furthermore, NSDC will oversee the recruitment of trainers for program implementation and guarantee a smooth learning process by furnishing the necessary training infrastructure.
Contemplating this significant achievement, Ved Mani Tiwari, the Chief Operating Officer of NSDC, emphasized the ongoing transformative revolution within India’s skill development landscape. This transformation is fueled by a steadfast dedication to empower the nation’s young population and its ambitious workforce through the acquisition, improvement, and adaptation of essential skills. He also highlighted that, guided by the leadership of Dharmendra Pradhan, the introduction of the Academic Bank of Credit, a digital repository of prior learning experiences, will serve to bolster the empowerment of India’s youth even further.
Sanket Ray, the President of Coca-Cola India & Southwest Asia, underscored his company’s commitment to generating value within the retailer ecosystem, a crucial component of the business value chain. In the ever-changing consumer environment, he emphasized that equipping retailers with essential entrepreneurial and digital skills not only elevates their significance in the eyes of today’s consumers but also prepares them for the future. He commended the Skill India Mission’s endeavors to promote innovation and offer industry-specific skills that are accessible to everyone.
