Iron Women programme expanded to India
Volvo Construction Equipment looking to help address gender disparity and industry skills gap in India
IRON Women, the global vocational initiative by Volvo Construction Equipment, has been expanded to India in a bid to address both the country’s industry gender disparity and the need for skilled operators and technicians.
The pioneering model aims to reshape societal norms in India that discourage women from technical vocations while supporting underprivileged communities to access training. The programme is driven by a collaboration between Volvo CE India, dealer partner Pollutech Engineering, and customer Kalinga Commercial Corporation Ltd (KCCL).
This new phase in the construction-focused Iron Women programme comes after an initial roll out in Ukraine last year, where the need for qualified operators to support rebuilding efforts has never been more critical.
India’s construction equipment sector faces a significant gender gap, particularly in operator and technician roles. This is made worse by limited access to training and education for women from underprivileged backgrounds. At the same time, there is a widespread shortage of adequately trained and skilled operators in the region, regardless of gender.
The Iron Women programme has been established to address these three interconnected challenges. It aims to open the doors to employment for underprivileged women, equip them with industry-specific skills, and foster a diverse workforce to meet the demands of the sector.
Tomas Kuta, head of sales region Asia at Volvo CE, said: ‘The Iron Women programme is an exceptional platform to redefine manpower, enabling women from every part of society to develop valuable new skills and enter a field traditionally dominated by men. We are proud to play our part in helping to address India’s gender disparity and develop a thriving and innovative construction sector in the country.’
The model has already been introduced in Ukraine, where women have been trained in vital skills to support rebuilding efforts at a time when unemployment and labour market gaps have been impacting the industry. Now, the programme has opened in India from March, with participants already taking advantage and developing their learning.
The initiative in India offers three specific training programmes: an operator programme, a worksite technician programme, and a technician programme for the factory floor.
Over several months, participants benefit from access to cutting-edge technology provided by Volvo CE and practical training and jobsite placements with dealer partner Pollutech Engineering and customer KCCL. Volvo CE say it is an unrivalled platform to gain valuable skills from leading experts in their field and secure the required certification for real-world job opportunities.
‘I come from a place where women are rarely seen in such roles, but this journey has changed my life. I came here unsure of what I could do – now I leave with a skill, a voice, and the courage to dream bigger. Iron Women made me believe that no dream is too bold,’ said Laxmi Naik, who is one of the participants of the programme.
Dilip Tripathi, chief executive officer of Pollutech Engineering, said: ‘Empowering women through skill development isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s the smart thing to do. The Iron Women programme is building a new generation of trained, confident professionals who will shape the future of our industry. We are proud to be a part of this transformative journey.’
This construction-focused Iron Women programme evolved from a concept introduced by Volvo Trucks in 2016. The original model has proved its potential to change lives by enabling more than 700 women from 10 countries to enter the trucking job market.
