“Hum honge kamyab” (we shall overcome) was the theme for the Basic Electrician Training Programme (BETP) Graduation Ceremony held on 21st May 2013. This theme was to instill in each student the belief that they have it within themselves what it takes to achieve their goals. Part of the Mewat Rural Vocational Programme (MRVP), the BETP is a partnership between SRF Foundation and Schneider Electric Pvt Ltd. The initiative aims to mainstream rural youth by providing them with skills training, increasing their employability and enabling them to lead better lives. The graduation ceremony was held to recognise the 2nd outgoing batch and welcome the 3rd incoming batch of students.
Current batch of BETP students
Graduating and current batch of students (in
foreground and background respectively)
Mr. Srinivas Surapani, Vice President of CCC and Sales Excellence at Schneider Electric India Pvt Ltd, Mr. Amitabh Rath, CSR Manager at Schneider Electric India Pvt Ltd and Mr. Praveen Karn, Head of MRVP at SRF Foundation graced the ceremony. Apart from the graduates, the ceremony was also attended by students from the current batch and prospective students keen to learn more about this programme.The ceremony commenced with an introduction to the BETP by Mr. Praveen Karn. Requiring the ability to read and write basic English, the 4-month course is designed to be 80% practical and 20% theory, ensuring all students get sufficient hands-on practice. All 27 graduates attained grades above 50% with a few outstanding students achieving grades above 90%. Mr. Karn emphasised the need for this vocational training programme, citing the increasing number of school dropouts remaining unemployed. Providing skills training to these dropouts enables them to upgrade themselves and enhance their employability. Upon the completion of the electrician training course, some of the jobs these graduates qualify for include mechanics, operators, electricians and assistants to engineers.
A few graduates came forward to share their experiences and wished their fellow graduates well in their job searches. Shahid Khan was introduced as one of the most outstanding students, who had assisted in the installation process of Project Rahat, another initiative by SRFF to produce low-cost sanitary napkins for the women of Mewat. Shahid expressed his appreciation for the assistance SRFF, Schneider Electric and his teacher had provided throughout his course. He mentioned he had learnt a lot, and that he hopes the current batch of students will benefit as much as he did.
Graduate Muntzeer sharing his learning experience
Mr. Surapani motivating the students
After a few other graduates delivered similar motivational speeches, Mr. Srinivas Surapani was invited to boost the morale of the current students and encourage the graduates as they begin their job searches. Mr. Surapani advised all students to be forward-looking and to set their minds on what they hope to accomplish. He additionally screened a brief video clip from the well-known movie “3 Idiots”, leaving the students with 3 golden rules: 1) always ensure safety is not compromised, 2) always be polite to everyone they come across, and 3) always seize every opportunity available.
Mr. Surapani sharing the 3 golden rules with the students
Muntzeer receiving his certificate from Mr. Surapani
The certificates were distributed to the graduates who were delighted to see their efforts being paid off. The graduation ceremony concluded on a positive note as everyone gathered for refreshments. While some of the graduates are just embarking on their job searches, others have already been offered jobs placements in various reputable companies, including SRFF and Schneider Electric. We are glad to know that SRFF carries out its work sustainably by partnering with supportive organisations such as Schneider Electric. We would like to congratulate the graduates on the successful completion of the course, and wish them all the best in their job searches.
2nd batch of graduates with teacher Mr. Sonu
SRF Foundation 