Skill ministry and Tata launch first batch of Indian Institute of Skills in Mumbai

The first batch of training at the Tata-Indian Institute of Skills, Mumbai was launched on Friday to provide an impetus to the Skill India programme through private sector participation, the government said.

The institute is a joint initiative between the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), the Government of India and Tata-Indian Institute of Skills (Tata-IIS).

"The primary goal behind setting up the institute is to create industry-ready workforce as per the evolving demands of the national and global markets," an official statement said.

"The institute plans to provide trainings in highly specialised areas such as defense, oil and gas, aerospace, and other emerging businesses to meet industry demands," it added.

A formal agreement for setting up the institute has been signed between MSDE and Tata-IIS on November 11, 2020.

The first batch at TATA-Indian Institute of Skills will commence training with two courses in Factory Automation, with duration ranging from 1 to 4 weeks, depending upon the pre-qualification profile of the trainee. The institute will also offer scholarships to the first 100 students along with attractive fee options during this initial launch phase. An early bird scholarship scheme of 75 per cent has also been announced for the first 100 students/trainees, an official statement said.

Speaking at the virtual launch event, Mahendra Nath Pandey, Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said, “With an aim to provide high-quality technical and vocational learning across various sectors, the foundation for state-of-the-art infrastructure was laid last year and today with the launch of its first set of courses at IIS Mumbai, I can proudly say that we are inching closer to achieve the vision of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi of making India the 'Skill Capital of the World'."

He observed that following the footsteps of other prominent centres of education in the country, IIS Mumbai will be instrumental in imparting world-class training to help build a future ready workforce.

"I extend my gratitude towards the Government of Maharashtra and Tata Group for extending support towards Skill India Mission and I am hopeful that this collaboration will transform the state's youth from job seekers to job creators," Pandey said.

The institute envisages partnerships with multiple private organisations who are leaders in their respective fields, two of which are currently in place, with FESTO, a global leader in industrial automation and SMC Corporation, Japan, world's largest manufacturer of pneumatic components, for trainings.

The two courses launched on Friday will focus on Factory Automation, envisaged to be the foundation for future courses and Smart Manufacturing (Industry 4.0) technology and applications, to prepare youth for emerging job roles of the next five years and beyond.

The courses will be offered at Tata-IIS interim campus at the National Skills Training Institute, Chembur. The institute's permanent campus, currently under construction in the campus of National Skill Trainers' Institute Mumbai and is likely to be operational by 2022; and will have a capacity of over 5,000 trainings per year.

Girish Krishnamurthy, Director, Tata IIS, said, "This is a key development in India's journey to provide skilling and job-readiness to its youth. The institute aspires to become a beacon to other institutions of its kind in the years to come".