Skill development by MasterG

MasterG is a comprehensive garment skills training, certification and employment program which condenses the traditional decades-long apprenticeship model of training in the garment industry into a year long, industry standards module. This program, which is aimed at women from marginalised and migrant communities in India, helps prevent women from breaking the cycle between education and employment due to social and cultural barriers. This localised program helps women become MasterGs in their own right, while earning a living with dignity in a notoriously informal and exploitative industry, skewed in favour of male master Jis. MasterG provides its services for a fee to organisations who wish to offer competitive skill development programs.

After returning from Parsons, New York, while sampling for my next collection, I began interacting with informal, home-based workers in Delhi, and was exposed to the sub-standard skill development conducted in the name of "vocational training". I started volunteering at Adharshila Trust, revamping their training module into an industry standards garment construction module teaching design, patternmaking, sewing skills and professionalism. My exposure at the ground level in India and through my experience in the fashion industry in New York, has allowed me to have a comprehensive view of the status quo.

The MasterG curriculum has been successfully implemented and rigorously tested in a pilot program with Adharshila Trust. Over the next year, we will be delivering our module to 4 different partners in the National Capital Region, Delhi, India.

MasterG's skill development program is highly localised to the community we serve. The curriculum is tailored to suit the local skills and needs of the prospective students. MasterG students are connected with domestic and international designers, boutiques and factories. Being a part of our ecosystem helps students, as we track their progress from the beginning to post-completion, as well as help them gain employment after training.

- Gayatri Jolly

www.gayatrijolly.com/masterg