Uniqlo Sets Up Sewing, Retail Training Skills Center In India
Uniqlo is taking on a bigger presence in India, this time with a job vocational training center to empower underprivileged youth.
The three-year program—Job-Oriented Vocational Training Centre—is designed to provide young job seekers with sewing machine and retail training skills, as well as life skills such as financial literacy. It targets young adults between ages 18 and 29 from economically disadvantaged households. The Saksham Centre in Dwarka, Delhi, will host the program, which is in collaboration with Plan International and a donation of 120 million Japanese Yen from Uniqlo parent Fast Retailing Co. Ltd.
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'Inspired by our LifeWear philosophy of making everyone's life better, we hope this skill centre project will have a life-changing, positive impact for thousands of young Indian people. It is fundamental for UNIQLO that, in every country and region that we operate, we always contribute to the society, and this new project reaffirms our long-term commitment to the Indian community,' Uniqlo India's CFO and chief operating officer Kenji Inoue said. 'Education is an integral part of individual and societal development and, working with Plan International, we look forward to providing opportunities to empower young people.'
Plan International's India Chapter executive director Mohammed Asif said that the program will provide young women and men with market-oriented skills so they can become 'active contributors to nation building.'
Uniqlo India operates 15 retail stores and is looking to expand its store presence. Its first store in New Delhi opened in 2019. Most of the store locations are in New Delhi. The retailer opened its first Mumbai store in 2023. The brand sources some of its product locally, although T-shirts and its Heattech apparel that are manufactured in India are exported to its global store network. The brand is also considering retail internships at its stores for those who train at the Saksham Centre.
Uniqlo in January agreed to stop using gig economy apps, such as Tempur and YoungOnes, to hire temporary store-based workers. The U.K. Trades Union Congress at the time asked some retailers—the retailers, including Uniqlo, are believed to have used the apps only briefly for the holiday selling season—to stop the practice due to concerns that freelancers hired through the apps weren't getting basic employment rights.
When Fast Retailing posted first-quarter profits in January, the company said Uniqlo's businesses saw 'favorable' expansion in Southeast Asia, India & Australia, North America and Europe. The focus of store openings has been across North America and Europe. Fast Retailing in October 2023 detailed plans on how it would step up new store openings.
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