Dalmia Bharat Foundation, which has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to impart vocational training to unskilled youth, launched a skill training centre in Tiruchi on Thursday.
This is the first of the eight livelihoods skills training centres planned to be set up by the foundation across the country.
The other centres are to be opened at Belgaum in Karnataka, Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh, Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh, Guwahati in Assam, Rourkela and Cuttack in Odisha and Bokaro in Jharkhand.
10 year plan
The foundation hopes to train about 60,000 youths through these centres over a period of 10 years.
The centres would impart vocational training to youth in areas such as apparel, retail, automobile and health care sectors.
The training would range from three to six months depending on the vocation. Trainees would be issued certificates by NSDC or Sector Skill Councils.
The NSDC would ensure that the courses offered through the centres are aligned to the national skill qualification frameworks.
The foundation hopes to train about 10,000 youths through the Tiruchi centre in the next 10 years.
Survey
“We have conducted surveys to assess the requirements and will ensure that the courses bridge the gap,” said Vishal Bhardwaj, Group Head, Corporate Social Responsibility, Dalmia Bharat Group. The target groups are unskilled youths who have studied up to standard VIII, X and Plus Two.
Candidates would be offered counselling before being admitted to the courses.
The courses would be offered for a fee but the foundation was looking at sponsorships, he said, answering a query.
The Tiruchi centre will make a modest start offering three courses initially. R.A.Krishnakumar, Executive Director, Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd., said more courses could be offered in other areas depending on the need. Agriculture and other sectors would also be covered.
N.Narayanan, former Chief Secretary, inaugurated the centre later. T.Venkatesan, Deputy Managing Director, Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd., and other company officials were present.
