Since the end of June 2018, young people and young adults in Hyderabad have also been able to attend vocational training courses for craftsmen. The programme has got off to a good start and already surprises with the first female participants.

The vocational training courses have proved very successful over the last few years and most graduates find a good job directly after completing the courses. In 2017 this was the case for 92% of graduates. Since the demand for the courses is constantly high, Usthi and its local partner have decided to include handicraft courses in the programme and thus offer more course places.

In the current operating year, the two locations have new capacity for at least 1036 participants. The courses are still very well attended and we expect to be able to release over 1000 more graduates into independence by spring 2019. A more efficient use of the premises is being sought. If this succeeds, there will even be well over 1000 graduates.

The expansion of the infrastructure for the new courses went well and the courses were able to start as planned on 25 June 2018. The new infrastructure offers space for at least 150 course participants per year. With full capacity, even 300 people could attend a course. This means that in future more young people will be able to benefit from a vocational training course. It is particularly pleasing that not only male youths attend the craft courses, but also individual young women have enrolled in them. This shows the courage of the participants and gives us hope that our courses can overcome not only poverty but also classic role models.