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Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Punjab, battling a shortage of skilled manpower, are likely to get a shot in the arm with corporate majors like Tata Group, L&T and Trident Group, among others, planning to set up skill development centres in the state.
The state government has also conceptualised a plan to improve the skills of 100,000 youth in the next three years to meet industry's manpower requirements.
SMEs in Punjab do not have the infrastructure to train youth. Industrialists say that lack of skilled labour is one of the major reasons for the state's declining share in industrial investment, since industries such as textiles, sports goods and engineering are labour-intensive. Partly as a result of this scarcity, many companies in the state have recently set up or expanded their facilities in other states.
Speaking to Business Standard, Ashwani Kohli, who deals in tractor parts, said, "There is a severe shortage of skilled manpower in the state. Since SMEs do not have the requisite infrastructure to train youths due to funding problems, the initiative by corporate majors is a welcome step, which is likely to address the problem of existing industries."
Recently, the Tata Group signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to set up a skill training academy at Ropar. On completion, the centre will provide training to about 10,000 students. The Trident Group, which has interests in textiles, paper and terry towels, has also signed a MoU with the state government to set up a skill development centre.
State Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has urged L&T to set up a state-of-the art skill development-cum-training centre at Rajpura to train local youth, so that they could be gainfully employed in industry. The company has agreed to do so.
Industrialists say that skilling is necessary for inclusive growth, and the skill development centre in the state will go a long way in promoting industry. Since Punjab attracted investment proposals totalling Rs 65,000 crore during the recently concluded investor summit, the state will have to be prepared to increase the supply of trained manpower. A R Talwar, Punjab's principal secretary, technical education, recently said that each multi-skill development centre in the state was training 15,000 trainees annually.
Moreover, private training providers were training 10,000 youth annually with 70 per cent assured placements.
He said that skill development was focusing on the supply-demand mismatch in employment generation, skill gaps, migration, linking vocational and academic training, updating the curriculum to constantly engage youth and technology upgradation.
No industrial growth was possible without 'industry-ready talent' and Punjab's technical education department was focusing on growth with equity, continuous up-skilling, key industry partnerships to ensure job creation and ensuring abundant talent for industry, Talwar said.
Further, to address skill issues, the state government has invited entrepreneurs to set up engineering colleges, polytechnics and R&D institutions in the upcoming Education City in New Chandigarh. The state government has already acquired 1,500 acres of land for the purpose.
Presently, the state has about 101 engineering colleges offering 35 courses and training 43,784 graduate engineers every year. Besides, some 181 polytechnics and 378 ITIs are imparting training to Punjabi youth in 120 trades, and providing industry with 125,000 trained apprentices every year.
