ICICI Academy for Skills, which launched its ‘Gift A Livelihood’ scheme in October 2013, is all set to achieve its target of training one lakh youth way ahead of its original deadline of 2017, according to the academy’s top official.

The Academy, with 22 centres across India, has trained 25,000 youths last year and is expected to train another 40,000 this year, its Chief Operating Officer, Chinmay Sengupta told reporters. In an audio conference from Mumbai, he said that the training was going as per schedule and it will definitely achieve the target by 2017.

The academy offers training in 13 disciplines. Of the 22 centres, there are 10 exclusively for the training to women, including one in Tiruchirapalli. The academy is currently not planning to increase the centres or the disciplines, but the COO said that they are considering adding textile and foundry sector, depending on the requirement.

Sengupta said that Coimbatore was among the flagship centres of the academy, and has trained 2,880 underprivileged youth. The academy currently offers residential courses to 638 students in six disciplines, including electrical and home appliance repairs, refrigeration and AC repairs, pumps and motor repair, central air condition repair, and two and three wheelers servicing.