At a time when Gujarat is eyeing a 15 per cent growth rate, the state government has estimated the skilled manpower requirement in next five years at 500,000. Consequently, firms have been eyeing the skill development sector in Gujarat.
What's more, buoyed by the skill development initiatives by the National Skills Development Corporation (NSDC), firms like Everonn and Core Projects & Technologies Ltd. have been setting up training centres and skill upgradation centres in Gujarat.
On its part, the Gujarat government, through the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development (CED) has been empanelling 22 national level training expert institutes for boosting employability in the state through skill development. “Firms like Everonn and Core Projects have been roped in as our training partners. While the industry has to focus on running its business, it requires employable manpower for which the government cannot ideally run a training centre commercially. Hence, the strategy of empanelling private players in skill upgradation was worked out by the state Industries and Mines Department which appointed CED for implementing the project,” said Chandan Chatterjee, director, CED.
To begin with, CED has a target of 300 skill upgradation centres by 2013. Private players have also set their own respective targets for Gujarat.
“With industries coming up, the need for skill development has been felt by everyone in Gujarat. Which is why, we also see tremendous scope in this area. We are looking at as of now 10 skill upgradation centres (SUCs) with one in each city. Most of them will start in phases and will have to be attached with existing it is. We would like to cover the entire state of Gujarat,” said Maya Sinha, director, Core Projects and Technologies.
The company plans to start with 10 SUCs with 300-400 skilled manpower being generated from each SUC at a total investment of Rs 5-6 crore. Similarly, Everonn Systems Ltd. is also eyeing the segment through its division, Everonn Skill Development. Having already started 12 skill development centres in Gujarat in hard skills like refrigeration, construction and carpentry, the division is adding more courses in automotive, fabrication and hospitality.
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“We are bullish about skill development in Gujarat because of its rapid industrialisation. There is a growing requirement for skilled manpower and we are constant touch with industry and students alike. In fact, by March 2012, we intend to set up overall 21 centres in the state, imparting training to around 90-100 students per month,” said TV Jayaraman, CEO of Everonn Skill Development, a division of Everonn Systems Ltd.
Meanwhile, the Gujarat government is hoping to see 200,000 per annum skilled manpower being supplied through such centres.