India’s largest professional networking and jobs platform for the rising workforce of India has signed an MoU with AkzoNobel India Limited to provide a dedicated online platform for painters, paint contractors and allied workers.
Under this alliance, apna will onboard painters linked to AkzoNobel on its platform with the aim to provide access to hyper-local job opportunities. This collaboration shall support painters with career information, soft skilling programs, and networking with fellow professionals, opportunities to showcase their work and do knowledge sharing. With the expansive reach of apna, the program is expected to benefit lakhs of painters and paint contractors.
All the youth undergoing vocational training in decorative paints at AkzoNobel Paint Academy will be facilitated with curated online training, live & recorded webinars on professional networking and community engagement by the apna platform to raise awareness among the painters and paint contractors. Additionally, apna will also facilitate AkzoNobel dealers and distributors to hire skilled workers directly from the app.
Nirmit Parikh, Founder, and Chief Executive Officer, apna, said, “We are delighted to partner with AkzoNobel India Limited, a global leader in this domain. Together we will contribute to India’s accelerated growth journey. This is a first-of-its-kind opportunity provided by our platform dedicated to delivering strategic benefits to this section of the rising workforce. With the lockdown of the pandemic years left behind, we believe that it is the right time to invest in new skilling programs in this domain. We see this partnership going a long way in contributing to the enhancement of lives of our aspiring workforce.”
Rajiv Rajgopal, Managing Director, AkzoNobel India said, “AkzoNobel is committed to its ‘People. Planet. Paint’ approach to sustainable business worldwide. Delivering shared value for everyone, in our ecosystem and the broader community is the cornerstone of AkzoNobel Cares. COVID-19 has accelerated the need for digital outreach across all sections of society. In these unprecedented times, AkzoNobel’s MoU with apna.co aims to fast-track enhance employability of the painting community across India. We are confident that apna’s specially crafted professional programs will enhance the learning, professional networking & new job opportunities for the painting workforce.”
apna’s vertical communities will mine new networking, collaborating and job discovery opportunities for the talented workforce in the painting industry. Through this partnership, a large section of the unorganised workforce across India will get a professional and credible digital identity for the first time, which in turn will boost their employability. Both AkzoNobel and apna have collaborated to create more meaningful opportunities for skilled professionals and deliver strategic benefits through the technology platform present in 28 Indian cities.
About apna
Founded in 2019, the apna.co is India’s largest professional networking platform dedicated to helping India’s burgeoning working class to unlock unique professional networking, and skilling opportunities. The app is currently live in 28 cities.
Having raised over INR 670 Crore from marquee investors like Insight Partners, Tiger Global, Lightspeed India, Sequoia Capital India, Rocketship.vc and Greenoaks Capital, apna is on a mission to enable livelihoods for billions in India. With over 1 crore users, present in 28 cities and counting, and over 1.5 lakh employers that trust the platform – India has a new destination to discover relevant opportunities. In addition, apna has partnered with some of India’s leading public and private organizations.
About AkzoNobel
We’ve been pioneering a world of possibilities to bring surfaces to life for well over 200 years. As experts in making coatings, there’s a good chance you’re only ever a few meters away from one of our products. Our world-class portfolio of brands – including Dulux, International, Sikkens and Interpon – is trusted by customers around the globe. We’re active in more than 150 countries and have set our sights on becoming the global industry leader. It’s what you’d expect from the most sustainable paints company, which has been inventing the future for more than two centuries. For more information please visit www.akzonobel.com. To find out more about AkzoNobel’s contribution to supporting local communities during COVID-19 visit www.akzonobel.com/Sustainability
About AkzoNobel India
AkzoNobel India has been present in India for over 60 years and is a significant player in the paints industry. In 2008, the company became a member of the AkzoNobel Group. With an employee strength of around 1,500, AkzoNobel India has manufacturing sites, offices and a distribution network spread across the country. All manufacturing facilities have a state-of-the-art environmental management system. Its commitment to Health, Safety, Environment and Security (HSE&S) has been among the best-in-class globally, with due care being taken to protect people and the environment.