Accor India Launches Accelerate by Accor – An initiative to Skill Youth from Underserved Communities

Accor India is pleased to announce Accelerate by Accor, a strategic initiative to skill over 500 youth from low-income and underserved communities for entry-level careers in the hospitality and service sector, in partnership with The Job Plus and Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council (THSC).

Initiative Overview
- Name: Accelerate by Accor
- Goal: Skill 500+ youth from underserved communities for entry-level hospitality careers.
- Partners: The Job Plus & Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council (THSC).
- Focus: Inclusive employment, responsible hospitality, and equitable access to opportunities.

Why It Matters
- Hospitality offers structured career pathways, but underserved youth often lack access.
- India’s hospitality sector faces a talent demand vs. access gap.
- This program bridges that gap with industry-aligned training, certification, and direct employment linkages.

Program Features
- Outcome-led design: Training → Certification → Employment.
- Nationally recognised NSQF-aligned certifications via THSC.
- Scalable talent pipeline built with The Job Plus, already active across 13 states and 101 cities.
- Strong emphasis on women’s participation (nearly half of beneficiaries in prior programs).

Leadership Voices
- Ranju Alex (CEO, South Asia, Accor): Hospitality can create meaningful change beyond hotels; this initiative invests in people and long-term careers.
- Rajan Bahadur (CEO, THSC): Reinforces demand-driven skilling with industry shaping both training and outcomes.
- Natwar Nagar (Founder, The Job Plus): Talent is everywhere, opportunity is not—this partnership helps correct that imbalance.

Impact
- Empowers youth with financial independence and career growth.
- Strengthens India’s hospitality workforce while supporting inclusive, sustainable growth.
- Aligns Accor’s business expansion with social impact and responsible tourism.

This is a strong example of how global hospitality brands are embedding social responsibility into their growth strategy in India.