With an aim to impart industrial and technical training to the youths of the State, a Skill Development Institute (SDI) was opened here at Macheswar on Monday.
The institute is in line with the National Skill Development Mission of the Centre. The Indian Oil Corporation ltd (IOCl) and other public sector undertakings under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (PNG) had taken the initiative in setting up the SDI.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the institute in the presence of Union PNG Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and MP Prasanna Patsani.
To begin with, certification courses in two trades, Industrial Welder and Electrician, would be imparted at the institute. The courses are aligned to the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) of the Centre and approved by the Sector Skill Councils under the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).
The faculty from Nettur Technical Training Foundation (NTTF) would also be associated in the training process. For the first course, around 90 students have been selected and undergoing training for a period of six months.
The employment-oriented programme to be undertaken by the SDI would include practical technical training through simulator and actual equipment used in the Industry while training on soft skills, computer and English language would also be imparted. The training would be followed by stringent assessment and certification process thus making the candidates ‘job-fit’ for the industry.
In addition, training on entrepreneurship would also be provided as part of the course to enable students earn their livelihood and make them self-sufficient.
Appreciating the initiative of the PNG Ministry for the SDI, Chief Minister Patnaik said, “More than half of the total population of the State is below 25 years of age and less than five per cent of the work force in our country has received any kind of formal training. Hence, our Government is keen to promote the “Skilled in Odisha” brand so that a person who is trained in our State will be among the best in the world.”
Union Minister Pradhan urged the CM to accede to the request for 100 acres of land which was already made earlier.
Pradhan also announced that a world-class institute for skill development would be set up in Bhubaneswar too, which would include multitude trades required by the industries in general and gas and oil industries in particular which would come up as a model state-of-the-art institute in the country.