Vocational Training Centre
- Jai Vakeel Vocational Training And Rehabilitation Centre, Mumbai. (Since 1948)
and
Aditya Birla Sheltered Workshop And Rehabilitation Centre (Since 2002)
Teacher Student Ratio is 1:10 Total No. of Students - 250
The school was started in the Vakeel’s residence in 1944. In 1948 we got a few students over the age of 18 and so started a Vocational Training Centre for them in the Vakeel’s garage.
Gardening, drawing, painting and carpentery were introduced. In 1956 when we moved to our Sewri campus a senior officer from the Salvation Army visited us and was very impressed with the work being done here.
He gave us our first desk loom and weaving as a vocation was started. 6 months later, the then British High Commissioner gave us funds for a Handloom. When Mr. Morarji Desai visited us in xxxxx he suggested we do spinning with the commercial ‘Ambar Charkha’ (charkha used by Gandhiji, Morarji etc).
However our children could not mange 12 spindles and so we contacted the Spinning Association who then designed our 2 spindle charkha for us. Thus began a hugely loved and successful occupation for the profoundly challenged also.
Today, a child remains in School till the age of 18years . However, from the age of 12 they are taught pre-vocational skills and other generic skills based on their IQ, aptitude. and `motor co ordination.
At 18 the child moves on to the Vocational Training Centre where they continue their training in a specific job. After 3 years of training, at 21 years, those who can be placed in open competitive or self employment are placed accordingly, and those who can not be placed in open ‘self employment are transferred to sheltered workshop wherein they are paid a nominal stipend for the products that are sold.
The Sheltered Workshop provides employment opportunities to those mentally challenged individuals who cannot be employed in the mainstream. They are all the proud owners of a Bank Account.
The Vocations taught are:
Agarbatti Making,
Paper Products like cards, gift
envelopes, bags etc.
Candle Making,
Jewellery & Flower Making,
Home Management,
Sewing & Embroidery,
Envelope Making,
File Making
The Vocational Section was started in 1948. The Aditya Birla Sheltered Workshop and Rehabilitation Centre was set up in 2002 and was the first Sheltered Workshop of its kind. Till date it is the largest in India.
