Tata Steel has invited applications from transgender candidates for several positions across multiple locations, taking a "significant step towards promoting inclusivity", the company said.
Tata Steel, a leading global steel company, recognises the importance of “breaking the glass ceiling and mainstreaming transgender people” in society, it said.
According to the company's notification, transgender applicants with qualifications ranging from matriculation to BE/B Tech degrees from recognised institutes are eligible to apply.
"Transgender candidates with any of the following qualifications can apply: Matriculation in English or ITI, graduation in any discipline, diploma in engineering in any discipline from any institute recognised by AICTE or UGC, or degree in BE/B Tech in any discipline from any institute recognised by AICTE or UGC," the company said.
The application deadline is set for February 15, with shortlisted candidates slated to undergo a selection process that may include assessments such as written tests and interviews. This initiative follows Tata Steel's previous efforts to bolster its transgender workforce, including the recruitment of crane operator trainees and heavy earth-moving machinery operators.
Praised as a well-considered intervention, this move not only addresses the unconventional practice of hiring transgender individuals for blue-collar roles but also serves as a blueprint for other organisations striving for genuine inclusivity, as per a company official.
“The well-thought-out intervention has not only broached the unorthodox subject of hiring transgender people in the blue-collar workforce but also provided a map for other organisations to navigate the difficult path to being inclusive in the truest sense,” a company official said.
Tata Steel's approach involved first enhancing gender diversity by recruiting more women in core operational roles before progressing to the recruitment of transgender individuals in its mining division. With aspirations to achieve a 25 per cent diverse workforce by 2025, Tata Steel's global footprint spans five continents, boasting an employee base exceeding 77,000.
(With PTI inputs)
