‘Quality’ key at skill summit

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 28

“Skill Summit 2017 – a roundtable on consolidation and networking with sector skills councils for skilling India” was jointly organised by the National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research (NITTTR) and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in Chandigarh today. 

The main purpose of organising the summit was to bring skill development stakeholders to a common platform to evolve sustainable skill development approach for vast population of Indian youth. 

Over 300 persons representing sector skills councils, state skill development missions, corporates involved in skill development through their multi-furious activities, skill development universities, directors, principals, instructors and students undergoing skill programmes in universities, engineering colleges, polytechnics and ITIs, National Skill Development Agency, National Skill Development Corporation, State Urban Livelihood Mission took part in deliberations of the roundtable. 

While delivering the inaugural address, Sarvesh Kaushal, Special Chief Secretary-cum-Director General, MGSIPA, Government of Punjab, laid emphasis on first improving the quality of school education system and thereafter imparting geographical location specific skills to all cross-sections of the society. 

He emphasised that besides, skilling the first time entrant to the job marketing, there was a need to ‘reskill’ and ‘upskill’ the existing manpower from time to time. He suggested that efforts should also be made on promoting self-employment and entrepreneurship amongst the youth of the country. 

With a view to promoting self-employment and entrepreneurship, drawing of district/block level action plan based on consultative meetings, tying up with banks and hand-holding of candidates and creation of cooperation of marketing are extremely important. 

Rajesh Sharma, Managing Director, HP Kaushal Vikas Nigam, laid emphasis on reaping the demographic dividends due to India being a young country. He was of the opinion that besides meeting its own manpower requirement, the country can provide manpower to the needy nations across the globe. 

Dr Raj Nehru, Vice-Chancellor, Haryana Vishwakarma Skill University, spoke about the initiatives of his university in promoting skill development in state of Haryana. 

Dr PK Tulsi, Director Incharge, NITTTR, Chandigarh, spoke about the initiatives of NITTTR in skill development and technical teachers training.  Dr JS Saini, Convenor of the Roundtable, highlighted the initiatives taken by central and state governments in developing skill development eco-system in the country. 

Dr Rakesh Wats, Roundtable Co-convenor, informed as to how the roundtable delegates would contribute to evolving a sustainable skill development in the country. GB Singh, Regional Head of FICCI, Chandigarh, summarised the proceedings of the inaugural session and proposed a vote of thanks.