SETWIN expands training programmes to rural youth in Telangana

SETWIN, Telangana’s vocational training society, is expanding to rural areas, offering courses in fashion, computers, and solar repair. Over 15,000 youth trained recently, with discounts in slum areas. Challenges include shifting Old City centres from private to government buildings.

Hyderabad: The Society for Employment Promotion and Training in Twin Cities (SETWIN) is targeting youth in rural areas in Telangana to help them get training and job placements.

Established in 1978 to facilitate job aspirants by providing training in different streams, the institution runs around 21 centres in the city and remaining nine in other districts of the State.

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“There is a demand to establish more centres in rural areas. We are planning to start centres soon in Dubbak, Boduppal, Siddipet and a few other places,” said K Venugopala Rao, Managing Director, SETWIN.

The SETWIN runs 10 centres in Old City areas such as Edi Bazaar, Riyasatnagar, Kishanbagh MM Pahadi, Dhoolpet, Ramnaspura, etc. The centre at Motigalli, set up in the initial phase, was a huge draw for the youth in the 1980’s and 1990’s. “During the period, youngsters who were trained in various courses offered by SETWIN got placements in big companies in Gulf Countries. It is a big achievement. The institution should focus more on expansion in twin cities and suburbs as the society is well known for its quality training,” said S Q Masood, a social activist from Old City.

The SETWIN offers a 50 per cent discount on training courses in the institutes located in the slum areas. New courses such as bio-medical equipment repairer and solar technician were introduced recently, while closed circuit camera repairing course was started two years ago. There is a demand for fashion designing, beautician and computer courses, with around 60 per cent of the candidates enrolling for the three courses at all the 30 institutes run by the society.

In 2024 – 2025, around 16,500 candidates were trained at different centres run by SETWIN, while since April 2025 till January of the current year, so far around 15,300 were enrolled in various courses. The courses are on three-month, six-month and one-year duration. “

The society should explore new courses and introduce them at a nominal fee. Although the government releases a budget for salaries, there is a need to increase the budget so that the unemployed youth get training at low cost,” said Mohd Rahman, a local social worker from Tallabkatta.

Recently, the SETWIN had landed in a piquant situation after the government asked all centres run from private buildings to be shifted to government accommodations in view of financial crunch. Two main centres of SETWIN – the head office at Purani Haveli and the Moti Galli, Khilwat, are among seven centres run from private buildings. “Considering the requirement for Old City, the government should not shift the centres from Old City. It is a known fact that there are no government accommodations in the Old City and several government institutions, schools and offices function from private buildings,” said Syed Abdul Rawoof, a social worker.