Carrera signs JV with MIDC

In a joint venture with the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), Italian jeans maker Carrera is setting up a training institute at Chinsouli on the outskirts of Solapur to train weavers, fabric designers and master cutters.

MIDC will provide the land and building for the Rs 70 crore project, while Carrera's design and fabrication experts will provide the training.

The training facility will provide the Rs 600 Carrera plant in Solapur with much needed trained and skilled manpower. The site for the project has already been identified.

The Italian company was finding it hard to get skilled people. Speaking to the Business Standard, Satish Gawai, CEO of MIDC, said, "There is a dearth of skilled manpower. Setting up training institutes will help in filling the manpower gap."

With nobody to supply the kind of fabric and the design inputs they were looking for, the company decided to tie up with MIDC to set up the training facility.

MIDC is also considering proposals from Bombay Dyeing, LG and Beckhardt to set up similar captive training facilities in Pune's Ranjangaon area. While LG is looking at a training facility in electronics, Beckhardt has proposed a school for mechanical skills.

MIDC has also sent a proposal to the department of technical education that ITI curricula should be revised based on local industry needs.

These curricula would specifically tailred to suit the needs of the IT, bio tech and auto industries.