Even as the National Council on Skill Development is working with the ministry of labour and employment on amendments to ease the Apprenticeship Act, the industry has to come forward initiating internship programmes to develop more industry-ready manpower, said S Ramadorai, vice-chairman, Tata Consultancy Services Ltd and advisor to the Prime Minister on skill development.
India produces only 240,000 apprentices annually, while Germany has 60 per cent of its student population entering the field of work as apprentices.
At present, professional courses such as MBA and engineering programmes have an embedded internship element. There is also a supply side push, with institutions like Madras Christian College has made internships part of graduation.
