Tata STRIVE And Wipro GE Healthcare Partner To Train 6,200 Youths For Jobs In Healthcare Sector

Tata STRIVE and Wipro GE Healthcare have entered into a partnership to skill the youth for jobs in the healthcare sector for a period of three years. Through this initiative, both organisations aim to skill 6,200 candidates in various technical and operational areas of healthcare.

To achieve the objectives of this partnership, Wipro GE Healthcare will design, develop and implement industry-relevant, hands-on training for the gainful employment of these students, many of whom belong to underprivileged sections of society.

With the support of Tata Trusts, Tata STRIVE will facilitate loan scholarships to students upon qualifying for the course.

In order to enhance the program delivery and efficacy, Tata STRIVE will be providing digital solutions for planning and managing batches, loan scholarships, attendance, assessments and tracking.

This partnership is also a major step to address the increasing demand for Allied Healthcare Professionals (AHPs) as they significantly contribute to the healthcare delivery system.

AHPs provide a range of services including technical and diagnostics services. They also help in the effective functioning of the system especially during the crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic, when they wear the shoes of frontline warriors.

Even though there's a huge demand for their services, the segment is short-staffed in India. As per the estimated numbers, that present requirement for AHPs in India is nearly 6.5 million against a supply of less than 300,000.

According to National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), the healthcare technician demand-supply gap in India was at an 84% shortfall in 2018.

While announcing the partnership, Anita Rajan, CEO of Tata STRIVE said that India's Healthcare sector is currently starved of an adequately skilled workforce as well as an adequate number of allied healthcare professionals.

She added that the partnership between Tata STRIVE and Wipro GE Healthcare will build a cadre of technical professionals that will support the delivery of quality medical care to reduce this gap. She also said that the financial support towards training provided by Tata's will democratise the opportunity for youth especially women, to aspire for a career in healthcare.

Shravan Subramanyam, Managing Director of Wipro GE Healthcare, South Asia said during the announcement of the programme that building a strong pipeline of allied healthcare professionals can be a strategic intervention in the healthcare sector. He added that this initiative will not only ensure a quality healthcare delivery system but also create meaningful jobs for many.

Subramanyam also said that in accordance with the government's vision of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) launched in September 2018 to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and transparency of the health sector, Wipro GE Healthcare is privileged to partner with Tata STRIVE to skill the youth of the country.

He pointed out that this partnership not only focuses on employment but also on bridging the existing skill gap in the healthcare sector along with the upliftment of women in society.

In 2015, Wipro GE Healthcare established the GE Healthcare Education Institute (GEHCI) with the objective of improving access to quality healthcare throughout the country by developing skilled healthcare resources.

For carrying the partnership ahead, GEHCI which is listed under the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) will act as a training partner. It will execute healthcare training courses.

The courses will be a mixture of both classroom and virtual sessions, along with interactive training exercises.

The program will provide an opportunity for 12th standard pass outs to enter the healthcare sector and take up roles such as X-ray, Operation Theatre, Radiology, or as Cardiac Care technician. Apart from this, non-technical job roles like front desk coordinator and medical record technician courses will also be offered.

The candidates enrolled in this program will undergo continuous assessment and internships throughout the duration of the course.

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