Punjab, corporates in pact to train ITI students

Vijay C Roy

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 3

The Punjab Government has signed MoUs with over dozen eminent industries to provide training to students of Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) so that they could meet the skilled workforce requirement of the industry.

The state has introduced Dual System of Training (DST) in 35 ITIs, wherein 53 trades have been started to enable industry linkages and to provide hands-on experience to students on the latest machinery and technologies. Currently, around 1,000 students are enrolled under the scheme. 

The DST is an amalgamation of theoretical training through ITIs and practical through the industry. The students will get training ranging from 9 months to 12 months. With this, the prospects of trainees getting jobs will improve manifold.

Anurag Verma, Principal Secretary, Technical Education & Industrial Training, Punjab, said, “It was a long-pending demand of the industry associations that the ITI passouts don’t have adequate knowledge about the latest machinery and not conversant with the work environment in the industry.”

He said to reduce the disconnect between the trainees’ learning outcomes and the industry’s requirements, the Department has introduced this scheme. 

He said since the programme had started recently, the department would review its performance after every three months.

Verma further said ITI Ludhiana has entered into a pact with Hero Cycles Ltd to train the students of welder trade. Similarly, ITI Hoshiarpur has entered into an agreement with International Tractors Ltd (Sonalika) for the fitter trade. ITI Amritsar has entered into an MoU with Taj Hotels and Hyatt Regency for the food production trade.

Verma said some of the other industries with whom MoUs have been signed include Vardhman Group, Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd., Mohali, Federal Mogul Goetze India Ltd., Patiala, Avon Cycles Ltd., Ludhiana, Chadha Sugars and Industries Pvt. Ltd., Batala, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd., Mohali, Swaraj Engines Ltd., Mohali and Lakme Academy.

He said the Department was planning to introduce at least one DST course in each of the 117 government ITIs in the state next year.