Priyanka, 22, was the first person in her family to go to school. Today, she is a teacher herself, nurturing and inspiring the next generation of students.
Priyanka works at a primary school in Bangalore, India, teaching children from first to third grade. It is a remarkable achievement for a young woman whose own parents never went to school.
Our Get Into programme supported Priyanka to define her career goals and plan how to work towards them, overcoming the fear and self-doubt that was holding her back – and empowering her to unleash her potential.
‘Initially when I entered work life, I was scared,’ she explains. ‘The skills I learnt from Get Into helped me to perform, and with my future planning.’
Investing in education
Priyanka’s father used to run a street food stall, while her mother worked as a housekeeper. After her father’s tragic death in an accident, Priyanka’s mother set up a small shop so that she could support the family alone – and keep her daughters in school. Despite their own lack of schooling, Priyanka’s parents were both committed to their girls’ education.
As soon as she finished her studies, Priyanka stepped up to support her family, working in a garment factory to help pay the bills. But longer-term, she was keen to find work with opportunities for career progression. When she heard about the Get Into programme, she jumped at the chance to boost her skills.
Exposure and empowerment
Get Into is an eight-week employer-led training programme designed by King’s Trust International and delivered in India by our partner Magic Bus India Foundation. Aimed at young people from low-income backgrounds, it covers general employability skills and job-hunting tips, creating pathways for young people to move into entry-level jobs in a range of professional sectors.
Priyanka found the sessions on managing feelings and coping with stress particularly useful, alongside interview preparation, public speaking and career planning.
Most first-generation learners, such as Priyanka, have very limited exposure to professional workplaces, so exposure visits are a key part of the programme, building confidence and familiarity with formal settings. One such visit gave Priyanka the opportunity to meet a CEO from a major retail firm, fuelling her ambitions and helping her realise that, despite her nervousness, she could hold her own in a professional environment.
From planning to action
After the programme, Priyanka went straight into work as a sales executive, drawing on the skills she had learned to help her cope with the demands of a busy professional role that she initially found intimidating. As she earned and gained practical work experience, she also continued to build towards her dream job of becoming a teacher, pursuing distance learning studies alongside her paid job.
‘I learned so much here, from gaining computer skills to understanding how to approach an interview,’ Priyanka says of her time on the Get Into programme. ‘I learnt to manage emotions, stress, and it provided me with key life skills that enable me to perform well in my current role.’
In 2024, Priyanka secured a job as a primary school teacher. Her mother is, justifiably, full of pride.