Continuous learning and upgrading our skills are a part of our growth as a human being, no matter what our profession. We can either learn on our own or seek guidance from those who love to impart skills.
Delhi-based Meghna Joshi, Founder, SWAN (Skilled Workforce Advancing Nation) Livelihood imparts training to youngsters for better employment opportunities.
More about the company from Meghna.
Take our reader through your professional journey?
I studied at Delhi and possess an eclectic academic background with Commerce in the school, Honours in Business Economics during graduation and post-graduation in Environment & Development. Professionally, I have prolonged experience of working in the Corporate and Social sectors in project management, operations work, imparting training in various skillsets in addition to managing and monitoring the operations of various Skill Development Centres.
What were the roadblocks or challenges you faced throughout your career? And how did you overcome them?
Setting up the venture proved to be a challenging task. We are a new venture and our operations began in January 2020. Getting a team together, outreaching, convincing and branding the act were certain things that looked easier on paper. Natural events over which we had no control started just after the first month of getting the act together. Extreme cold, incessant rains and widespread protests in the city were enough to wear down the patience. Matters were made worst by the spread of the pandemic Corona and the complete lockdown.
What is your philosophy of efficient leadership?
A leader should lead from the front. To achieve this trait, the person should be knowledgeable, a team person and someone who can stand with the pack during adversities. I believe in being courageous and decisive in my actions to provide efficient leadership.
Do you think organizations must have a balanced gender ratio in leadership positions? Why?
I think the leadership positions should be need-based, strictly on merit and without any gender bias. An organisation should try to place the best suitable candidate to achieve the best performance. Reservation for any particular gender can make way for the non-performers.
What is your company/profession all about?
SWAN aims at enhancing the skill sets of the people coming from various sections of society. Its main focus is towards imparting specially designed training and counselling sessions for grooming the youthful workforce for better employment opportunities. The training programme aims at enhancing the overall awareness of the youth towards teamwork in addition to improvement in the skill sets and personal grooming.
Keeping in view the overall wellbeing of the target groups in life. SWAN provides continuous mentor-mentee support to the youth gaining employment besides post-placement assistance. Attempts are also made to connect them with forthcoming opportunities so that they can do well in professional life.
What is your vision for your company/yourself and your core values (for the company)?
The SDGs-2030 advocate technical, vocational education training (TVET) and decent work opportunities for promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth and providing help to young adults. Possessing a large educated and skilled youthful population would be a valuable asset for the Nation’s developmental goals. SWAN has taken up this challenge through skill up-gradation of the youth in the NCR of Delhi.
The training programme at SWAN Livelihood is evolved after sustained field activity and intricate knowledge of the operations of the social sector enterprises. Our mission is to bring smiles on scores of youths and develop a congenial atmosphere in the workplace with satisfied employers. We strive to work with dedication and total commitment in our endeavour to achieve the goals.
What are your future endeavours/objectives and where do you see yourself in the near future? Coronavirus pandemic has shown that technology is here to stay and can provide better access and scale. SWAN Livelihood would like to expand the activities of the venture by reaching out to the youth of tier 1 and tier 2 cities. We propose to diversify into e-learning programme so that skill-based learning can be imparted to many more in the far-flung areas for whom the offline courses were just not possible.
