Skill development has been a major focus for the Indian government in recent years, with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) spearheading efforts to make India a talent hub for future skills. One such initiative is the Training of Instructors Program under the SANKALP Scheme in collaboration with the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce (IGCC), which aims to develop a pool of on-job instructors for the industry, Government & Private institutes, colleges and universities and training partners and individuals in upcoming technologies.
Recently, on 22nd January 2023, four batches of the program Training of instructors were completed in Pune Engineering Cluster, Chinchwad Pune.
The convocation was held for 91 participants of the Training of Instructors from three different domains, namely CNC Programming & Operations (39 participants), Advance Welding Technology (28 participants), and Quality Control Inspector (24 participants). The remaining other batches are still undergoing Training of instructors for Automation & Robotics Technology and Advance Automotive Technology domain. The program was an 11-week course with four weeks of on-the-job training, and the main stakeholders ate the Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC) as the lead Project implementation agency (PIA). Participants received two certificates, one from the IGCC, which is well recognized by the industry, and the other from the ASDC, which is recognized throughout India. The dual certification ensures that the candidates have the necessary skills to meet industry requirements and are globally competitive.
The ASDC is a sector-specific council that was set up by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to promote skill development in the automotive industry. It plays a crucial role in designing and implementing skill development programs for the automotive sector and is responsible for certifying the candidates who complete the program. In this program, the ASDC has played a key role in ensuring that the candidates receive dual certification.
The Indo-German Chamber of Commerce (IGCC) is the assessment and certification partner in this project, responsible for conducting pedagogy training, assessing candidates as per DIHK standards for vocational education and training with German system elements, and giving certification to the participants. The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) is the knowledge partner that supports this Sankalp Training of Instructor Programme with Pedagogy and technical domain expert sessions and also offers a global perspective on skill development to the participants. This programme conforms to the German dual-VET model of training and includes an immersive on-the-job training experience.
The importance of training of trainers cannot be emphasized enough in the skill ecosystem. The success of any skill development program depends on the quality of trainers, and the training of trainers’ program aims to develop trainers who are proficient in their domains and have a thorough understanding of the industry’s requirements. These trainers are then available to the industry as well as training partners to impart the necessary skills to candidates.
The role of the ASDC in skill development for the automotive industry is crucial. The automotive sector is one of the fastest-growing sectors in India, and the ASDC’s mandate is to create a pool of skilled manpower for the sector. The council is responsible for developing skill standards, creating curriculum and training modules, and certifying the candidates who complete the program.
As part of the SANKALP (Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Livelihood Program) MSDE’S Scheme, a Training of Trainers Program has been developed in collaboration with GiZ, IGCC, and Pune Engineering Cluster. A thorough understanding of the industry’s requirements is the goal of the program. Dual certification ensures that candidates are globally competitive and meet industry requirements with the ASDC’s role in skill development. India is on its way to becoming a talent hub.
