Swiss Vocational Education & Training Initiative India plans to skill 1 million

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Pune, Maharashtra, India, Republic of (Free-Press-Release.com) November 9, 2011 -- Swiss Vocational Education & Training Initiative India plans to skill 1 million

With the successful completion of the Swiss industry driven 3 year pilot project (2009 to 2011) to implement the reputed Swiss dual track model of vocational education and training in India, the project partners are now gearing up to skill a million youth in India to global skills standards by the year 2022.

Today the first batch of apprentices trained in Pune under the Swiss VET Initiative India will receive their diplomas in the course of Multi-Skilled Production Technician assessed to SWISSMEM’s quality standards. All apprentices have successfully passed the course. The handing over of the diplomas was celebrated in Pune in the presence of the apprentices, executives from their companies and state government officials who have participated in the pilot project.

A separate company, SkillSonics Pvt. Ltd. has been set up move the project seamlessly from the pilot to a self-sustainable model. SkillSonics has entered into separate exclusive cooperation agreements with Swiss Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Industries (SWISSMEM) and Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (SFIVET), essentially to adapt the courseware and make the training available to all companies in India in the engineering sector from 2012. Industry participation is critical as companies stand to be the main beneficiaries of the program by having their factories manned by people trained and certified to world standards. This leads to productivity increases which in turn enhances the companies’ global competitiveness.

Speaking on the occasion Mr. G P Chandra Kumar, Chairman & CEO, Skillsonics India Pvt Ltd said, “Skillsonics is slated to create an eco-system in India which is modelled on a public partnership, industry driven, dual certification mode for apprentices which will skill 1 million Indian youth by 2022 through an exclusive cooperation with SWISSMEM and SFIVET of Switzerland.”

The initial pilot project was run to establish ‘proof of concept’ for India and to ensure that the model works well in India. With the successful completion of this phase, the concurrent objective of moving this training model into a private self-sustainable model has been initiated.

SkillSonics® will take the program forward across India and plans to bring other courses in the dual track mode for sectors like Food Processing, ICT, Commercial, Hospitality, Construction etc. It targets to create 1 million skilled workers in India by 2022, who are assessed to Swiss quality standards and awarded diplomas in the vocational skill of their choice.
The Pilot Project

In 2008, as a contribution to the 60th anniversary of the Friendship and Establishment Treaty between India and Switzerland, the Swiss Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology (OPET) and the Swiss-Indian Chamber of Commerce (SICC) as an implementation partner launched the Swiss-Indian Vocational Education and Training Initiative India in partnership with Swiss organizations such as the Swiss Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Industries (SWISSMEM) and the Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (SFIVET).

After a feasibility mission in July 2008, a pilot project was initiated in November 2008. The objective was to implement and test the Swiss VET Model in India and measure the results in the States of Karnataka and Maharashtra. MOUs were signed with CII, FICCI, DVET Maharashtra and DET Karnataka.Several Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) from the states of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat, as well as 9 companies were inducted into the pilot project.

The curriculum chosen was a Multi-Skilled Production Technician. It is outcome based and brings with it exclusive Swiss content and delivery know how. Over 150 apprentices are currently enrolled in various disciplines. 60+ ITI teachers and 35+ company Instructors were also trained and certified by Swiss experts to deliver the course in a dual track mode.

The approach that is used to deliver the skill training is structured after the Swiss model and envisages a 3-way partnership between the company (which has hired the apprentice), the local Industrial Training Institute (ITI) and the Project Office. The apprentice undergoes 3-4 days of practical work per week, at the company location, under the supervision of a company mandated instructor, while 1-2 days per week are set aside for theory sessions with the ITI deputed teacher. The Project Office ensures that the course coordination, quality assessments, audits etc. are all carried out to maintain the rigor of the program to the set Swiss methodologies. The apprentices enrolled in this program have been trained to high standards as required by the Swiss assessment mechanism. The diploma handed out to the apprentices is endorsed by SWISSMEM.

OPET - The Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology is the Swiss Federal Government’s competence center for vocational education and training, Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) and innovation policy. It is a part of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs. www.bbt.admin.ch

SICC - SICC offers a networking platform, especially through the conferences, workshops and seminars that it regularly organizes, informs its members about the economic and political situation in India and Switzerland , the business climate for foreign investors and changes concerning investment and trade-related conditions. SICC works with a dynamic network of governmental ministries, economic organizations, companies and private individuals to identify the optimal strategic partners for its members. Lobbying on members' behalf in India and Switzerland, Market entry and project implementation support. www.sicc.ch

SWISSMEM - SWISSMEM unites the Swiss engineering, electrical and metal industry and associated technology-oriented sectors. Swissmem represents the concerns of the sector to politicians, national and international organizations, representatives of employees and the public. Apart from this, SWISSMEM is in charge of curriculum development and apprenticeship training in its sector, and it offers to the companies numerous practice-oriented services, which help them to maintain their ability to compete and to meet new challenges successfully. http://www.swissmem.ch/en.html

SFIVET - Acting on behalf of the Federal Administration, the Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (SFIVET) provides tertiary-level basic and continuing training to VET/PET professionals. SFIVET also conducts research and development in the VET/PET field. SFIVET ensures relevance and applicability of its services by acting as an interface between the academic and professional world. All basic and continuing training courses are systematically based on the results and evaluation of research and development projects.
http://www.ehb-schweiz.ch/en/Pages/default.aspx

SkillSonics ® - SkillSonics India Pvt. Ltd is a recently formed company which has signed a 10 year exclusive cooperation agreement each with SWISSMEM and with SFIVET to bring vocational diploma courses to India and Sri Lanka under the dual track model – where the technician learns both theory and practical’s every week. Assessment is multi-dimensional and rigorous, culminating in an internationally recognized diploma endorsed by SWISSMEM. It targets to enable 1 million youth in India to be trained and certified to international quality standards. Courses will be made available in engineering, ICT, Food Processing, Construction, Hospitality, Commercial and Life Science/Pharma sectors. www.skillsonics.com

For any queries on this Press Release, please contact:

Prema Menon | Project Administrator | Swiss VET Initiative, INDIA Project Office
550A, Ground Floor, 8th Main, 4th Block, Koramangala, Bangalore, India - 560034
Off: +91-80-4093 3000
Fax: +91-80-4093 3001
email: prema@nacksventures.com

Zzebra PR
Amol Hande: + 9920336142, amol@zzebra.net