After successfully training over 80,000 youth and getting them placed in various sectors in the skill industry, the alumni network of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) is looking to open more skill training centres across the country.
The alumni network of the premier institution has been running a PanIIT Alumni Reach for India Foundation (PARFI), which they call Gurukul. Young men and women from underprivileged families receive training in various technical skills like construction, medical services, logistics, electrical and others in these Gurukuls and get assured placements.
Getting a push with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Skill India programme, the foundation is looking at expanding themselves in a bigger way now. PARFI had so far been actively working with Jharkhand government and Tamil Nadu government. After their success, the foundation is now in talks with other state governments as well and are looking to explore possibilities in Agriculture sector in states like Punjab, UP and Haryana.
PARFI is a demand-led training model by which the members of the foundation train students according to the demands of the industry. Even before the students are admitted in Gurukul, the members of the association conduct their research in the industry and train students accordingly in the required skills.
The infrastructure support is provided by the government and teachers and training is provided by the institute, which runs on a loan-based model for students. The students get loans from NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development), which they have to repay after they get a job.
“We want to expand our centres as there is tremendous scope in a lot of fields like Agriculture in various parts of India. New technology is coming in the field which people are not aware about and the industry needs skilled people who are well-equipped with the new technology. This is where we can come in and train the youth to be employable,” said Ashank Desai, Co-Chairman PARFI.
“Our idea is to meet the demand for skilled youth, for which we need to train them in the way industry wants. The industry is changing and there is more use of technology is each sector now,” he adds.
The foundation has started a pre-construction training centre where certain parts of a building are built at the centre and then assembled at the construction site. This is one of its kind training imparted by trainers at PARFI and is one of the ways in which the foundation is keeping pace with the rising demands of skill industry.
Source: Daily News & Analysis
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