INDIA: New Salesian initiative helps vocational and technical graduates become entrepreneurs
Aim to connect candidates with incubation opportunities
INDIA
(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco Job Placement Network and the Forum for Innovation Incubation Research & Entrepreneurship (FiiRE) have launched a nationwide partnership in India to help vocational and technical graduates become entrepreneurs. FiiRE is the department of science and technology-backed incubator based at Don Bosco College of Engineering, located in the city of Fatorda in Goa.
The initiative seeks to reduce dependence on low-paying, high-attrition entry-level jobs by equipping youth with the skills, mentorship and resources needed to establish sustainable enterprises.
During the the meeting to launch the initiative, leaders agreed to identify promising entrepreneurs from Don Bosco’s nationwide network and connect them with incubation opportunities.
Operating across 11 Salesian provinces, the Don Bosco Job Placement Network maintains a database of more than 65,000 candidates trained through technical institutions and industrial training institutes. The partnership aims to harness the technical abilities and innovative potential of these youth by providing pathways to venture creation instead of conventional employment.
A Salesian explained, “Under the collaboration, selected candidates will gain access to FiiRE’s advanced prototyping laboratories, experienced industry mentors and startup funding channels. These include government-backed initiatives such as the National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations Entrepreneur-in-Residence and the Startup India program, which enable aspiring entrepreneurs to develop, test, and scale innovative business ideas.”
FiiRE has supported 251 startups, facilitated the creation of more than 600 jobs, assisted in filing 28 patents and enabled startups to raise funding.
As part of the initiative, the existing Don Bosco job portal will be upgraded into a technology-driven platform for talent identification, entrepreneurial skill assessment and startup onboarding. In the first phase, online orientation sessions for regional directors will be followed by campus immersion programs, prototype development workshops and business idea pitching events.
The long-term vision is to establish incubation centers within Don Bosco industrial and technical institutions across the country. The partnership aims to embed incubation facilities within vocational education campuses, fostering a nationwide ecosystem of youth-led enterprises, creating employment opportunities and promoting innovation in local communities beyond India’s major urban centers.
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ANS – India – Don Bosco, FiiRE Join Hands to Transform Job Seekers into Startup Founders
Salesian Missions – India
World Bank – India
