Eight years ago, the population of youth in the age group of 15 to 24 years in India was 19.1%. But, the demography has changed noticeably since then and so has been the demand for a skilled workforce.
In the wake of current scenario, the United Nations has declared July 15 as the World Youth Skills Day to address the challenges of unemployment and under employment across the globe. Indian government was quick to call and took up the remedy of skill development to bring out the best in an individual and promote a sustainable and firm growth of the nation.
In sync with the initiative, The Skill Development Institute in the city, set up by eight oil PSUs under the Ministry of petroleum and natural gas coordinating with the Skill India Mission, has trained more than 7,000 students within 30 months of its inception.
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Started with a small set up of 10 courses with a focus on inculcating skills required in the field of petroleum industry, the institute now offers 32 courses with specialisation in various job profiles including an automotive service technician, customer care executive, electrician, retail outlet staff, LPG mechanic, inventory clerk and so on.
Four special programmes in collaboration with the District Police are currently on the run to empower the tribal youth with the capability to do go for jobs such as plumber, two-wheeler technician, retail sales associate and others.
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The hands-on-training method has yielded great results, enhancing the employability skills .
“The realistic workplace environment and comprehensive approach towards the practical knowledge of the field helps us understanding the requirements and procedures of our sector better,” says P. Venugopal Rao, a gold medallist at the national level, India skills-2018, organised by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
C.V.N. Das, Deputy GM of HPCL, who has been appointed as the principal, emphasises on the fact that students from the rural areas lack in communication skills, soft skills, corporate behaviour and this hinders their employment opportunities.
Catering to the buzzing curiosity and amped energy levels of the youth, the institute has outdoor and indoor game facility, library dedicated not only to domain specific books but to quench an all-round quest of students.
“Incorporation of social skills, workplace behaviour and personality grooming are exclusive to the institute’s curriculum, thus boosting the probability of getting the job for our students,” he says.
VR labs
The institute is looking forward to a fully dedicated university status in the near future. And the latest installation of virtual reality (VR) labs to provide the students with stimulating real time environment is one of its kinds.