OYO, upGrad Executives Launch BorderPlus: What It Means for India’s Blue-Collar Workers

upGrad cofounder Mayank Kumar and OYO’s senior executive Ayush Mathur on Monday launched ‘BorderPlus’, a dedicated platform connecting blue-collar workers with global opportunities. The duo came together after more than a decade to redefine cross-border mobility, starting with the healthcare sector in Germany.

The platform was introduced because India faces a severe opportunity gap that is restricting talent migration, despite being the largest youth nation, said Mayank during the launch. “With BorderPlus, we want to revolutionise international recruitment and channel India’s demographic dividend toward the right global opportunities,” he said.

Mathur, on the other hand, also stated that the global need for skilled healthcare professionals is immense. “From my experience at Oyo, I’ve seen firsthand how challenging it is to find the right talent in the hospitality industry,” he said while emphasising on the need for streamlined migration model worldwide.

At BorderPlus, Kumar will lead the talent acquisition in India and Mathur will focus on addressing global workforce demand.

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What is BorderPlus?

BorderPlus is a talent mobility platform that will connect blue-collar workers with global opportunities. The company aims to bridge workforce gaps while ensuring equitable access for workers from emerging markets. It combines a global perspective with local expertise to scalable solution for cross-border recruitment because upGrad cofounders are based in India and the United Kingdom.

BorderPlus has kicked off its inaugural pilot batch with approximately 10 participants and plans to expand rapidly. For now, training sessions will be held monthly. Each program spans 6 to 9 months and offers flexibility in delivery, including online, blended, or in-person formats. The final phase is conducted offline, emphasising language acquisition.

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Initially, the platform will focus on identifying global opportunities within healthcare and building streamlined processes. It also aims to facilitate language practice through interactive spoken exchanges while simplifying the complexities of international recruitment.

The later phase of expansion will involve hospitality, retail, teaching, construction, and logistics. Geographically, the cofounders will go beyond Germany after 6-8 months and launch operations in regions like the US, UK, Canada, Europe 1, Europe 2, Japan, South Korea, etc.