For most of us, getting served a 7-course meal 30,000 feet up in the air is a dream come true. Oftentimes, Air hostesses are envied for their working environments and the glamour it comes with. They seem to showcase it as easy and doable. However, working in the aviation industry is not a piece of cake. It requires commitment, dedication and a passion for servicing. Another aspect of working in the aviation industry—one that is seldom spoken about—is that one has to be unique and should stand out from the crowd.
Khushboo Sharma firmly believes that everyone must carry their beauty and personality with dignity. She says, “Every girl is unique and has her own style; my job is to polish her skillset and boost her confidence. In my 14 years of professional experience, which spans Hotels, Makeup and Fashion to Aviation industries, I have realized that while there is so much to learn, there is also so much potential for each of us to do the public so much good. Thus, in December 2017, I quit my job and started Gracious Avatar. Like the name suggests, my sole motto is to reach out to you, make you a confident individual, equip you with your subject knowledge and help you realize your dreams. In doing so, I also accomplished my dream of becoming an entrepreneur.”
Khushboo says that young adults should be taught to focus on their skills and not just on achieving marks. Rote memorization can only do so much for you. They must be able to think critically and question why certain things work the way it does. She further comments that the Indian education system focuses on the macro aspect rather than the micro aspect of the job market. “We do have best-skilled manpower in the world when compared with the other country which is developed. The major issue here is a lack of diversity and specialization in education. I believe that the increase in specialization studies for students will help increase skilled manpower and in return help in the growth of India.”
Gracious Avatar perfectly understands the amount of dedication and resources the students invest in their professional courses, and hence, the team strives to be honest and the best in providing first-class training and delivering projects. What makes Gracious Avatar different from its peers in the market is that not only does it preach, but also practice friendly customer service, delivering professional services, quality trainings, transparency, cost-effectiveness, and timely improvisation in training delivery (modules).
“The first 2 weeks of any course at Gracious Avatar are based on teaching students the importance of time and money. Aviation or the service industry may look very glamorous from the outside. However, it works on emotions, attitude, time management and discipline because you directly connected to people’s life. Hence to make them understand the idea of making a great career and continue to live their dream we ensure that they start living these habits,” says Khushboo Sharma, Director, Gracious Avatar. The institute also holds special facilities such as periodic social gatherings, meditation sessions, wellness sessions and counselling sessions for everyone at the academy.
A testament to these initiatives taken by Gracious Avatar is that 82% of the academy’s students have received placements with industry giants like IndiGo, Go Air, Vistara and Flybig. “My last batch placement percentage is 95. Key placement simply means when you get through more than one airline and then it’s your choice where to join, the same happened with the last batch where 3 of my girls got through two companies,” points out the Director.
Speaking about her students, Khushboo is proud that she has been able to do her bit in empowering young women to realize their dreams. “Some parents give their daughters a month to do what they want to and then propose to get the girls married. However, my girls take this as a challenge, work hard and get selected by leading aviation players, start earning and look after the parents- who initially wanted to get them married. As an individual and as a woman, this is a major achievement for all us.”
Going forward, Khushboo intends to take Gracious avatar to new heights by implementing programs that are the need of the hour and by helping young individuals realize their true potential.