Ericsson and Telecom Sector Skill Council have launched the Ericsson ITI Labs Project to train 10,000 Industrial Training Institute (ITI) students in 5G infrastructure deployment and telecom technologies.

The initiative aims to improve employability and support entrepreneurship by providing hands-on training in the deployment and maintenance of 5G networks and related infrastructure.

Under the programme, 10 Ericsson ITI Labs will be established across India using a hub-and-spoke model. The labs are expected to support around 100 ITIs, with approximately 100 students participating from each institute.

Students will undergo a 60-hour training programme covering telecom job roles such as Telecom Rigger for 5G and legacy networks, 5G Active Network Installation Technician, Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH/X) Installer, Wireless Technician and 5G Infrastructure Technician.

The initiative also seeks to increase women’s participation in telecom and technology roles, with at least 20 per cent of enrolled students expected to be women.

Lt Gen K H Gawas, Chief Executive Officer of the Telecom Sector Skill Council, said the project aligns with the Skill India mission and India’s efforts to build a digitally skilled workforce. He said the initiative would provide students with practical exposure to next-generation telecom technologies.

Nitin Bansal, Managing Director of Ericsson India, said the project aims to create employment opportunities and support the development of a skilled workforce for the telecom sector.

Ericsson said the initiative forms part of its wider education and digital skills programmes in India. The company currently operates 40 centres offering ICT and soft skills training and has established 15 robotics labs across the country. It has also partnered with India’s Department of Telecommunications on 5G use case labs in educational institutions.

Inputs from India Education Diary

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