Apollo Tyres Initiative Aims to Bring Transgender Community into Mainstream Workforce

yres has taken a significant step in supporting the transgender community by launching a skills training centre in Auto Nagar, Hyderabad, focused on jute bag manufacturing. This initiative, the first of its kind for Apollo Tyres, aims to train 20 transgender individuals in practical, marketable skills, with the goal of boosting employability and self-reliance within the community.

The program, launched by the Apollo Tyres Foundation, will support participants through a structured, three-month training curriculum designed to help them develop vocational skills. At the facility’s inauguration, Apollo Tyres Foundation placed an order for 500 jute bags, an initial boost to the trainees’ productivity, with assurances of future orders. This program provides a stipend for trainees during the learning period, helping to ease financial pressures while they focus on skill development.

Structured Training for Economic Empowerment

The training centre will operate in two groups of ten, providing trainees with access to five jute bag-making machines, raw materials, and essential tools. A skilled instructor is on-site, offering personalized guidance and training to equip participants with the technical skills needed to produce high-quality, market-ready jute bags. Each participant will benefit from a three-month hands-on training period, after which they will be able to independently create a range of jute-based products.

A Community-Focused Approach

Rachna, an activist and trainer who identifies as transgender, spoke about the significance of this program for her community. Emphasizing the importance of breaking down patriarchal barriers and binary stereotypes, Rachna highlighted the transformative potential of targeted vocational training: “Meaningful change is achievable when systems and institutions invest trust and long-term support in us.” With experience in advocacy through NGOs, Rachna views Apollo Tyres’ training program as an important move toward real and lasting change.

Expanding Outreach and Awareness

Apollo Tyres Foundation has integrated transgender individuals into its network as peer educators within the trucking community, providing training on healthcare services such as HIV/AIDS prevention. During FY24, the foundation engaged with 54 transgender peer educators who reached over 21,500 truckers across 20 transhipment hubs, promoting health awareness in the trucking sector. Additionally, as part of its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, Apollo Tyres Foundation has onboarded transgender individuals as part of its project staff, further promoting inclusivity within its own organization.

The skill development initiative in Hyderabad represents a meaningful expansion of Apollo Tyres’ community empowerment projects, aligning economic support with social inclusion. As this pilot program develops, it could serve as a model for similar initiatives, providing lasting, community-centered opportunities in a traditionally underserved demographic.

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