The Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) skilled a total of 98 participants in 4 batches through the cluster-based Training of Trainers (ToT) project undertaken in collaboration with Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC), GIZ-IGVET and Maharashtra State Skill Development Mission (MSSDS). The 98 trainers were certified through a convocation ceremony organised by ASDC in Pune. Developed as part of the National component of Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP), the trainers received dual certification following assessments by the Automotive Skills Development Council and IGCC (German certification agency).
The program covered trades such as advanced welding, CNC operations, robotics, quality control, and advanced automotive technology. Conducted in collaboration with Sukhakarta General Engineering Cluster Pvt. Ltd. (SGECPL) in Pune, the ToT program trained a total of 189 trainers across eight batches, which consisted of one-month classroom training followed by one-month on-the-job training.
The initiative strengthened the public-private partnership in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) domain, upgrading the technical and pedagogical skills of trainers in line with industry 4.0 requirements. Moreover, it effectively bridged the skills gap by involving industry members in curriculum development.
“The Cluster-based ToT in the automotive sector is a unique example of synergy between public and private sector as well as industry alignment. With rapid advancements and transformations within the industry, it is crucial to develop a highly competent set of trainers to prepare the workforce to meet the ever-evolving demands,” said Nilambuj Sharan, Additional Secretary and Senior Economic Advisor, MSDE.
“It is worth highlighting that the project is strategically located within one of the largest automotive clusters, comprising over 3,000 industries supporting auto Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) across India and manufacturing auto components,” said Arindam Lahiri, CEO, ASDC. While the program was initially piloted in Aurangabad covering three job roles, that is, advanced welding, CNC operations and robotics, the project is currently being implemented in Pune.