According to India Skill Report 2019, while engineering students have maximum employable talent with 57%, the major roadblock that comes when they go to work in industries is practical learning. Recognizing this, 83% of students are willing to participate in apprenticeship programs to have hands-on training in an industry.
In India, while hiring people to work with machines, companies notice lack of training and they have to teach these people how to work with machines from the bottom. Skilled individuals are a necessity in India for manufacturing companies. Most companies spend a lot of time and money in training people they hire, as they had no prior experience of working with machines.
Owing to this, many companies have started apprenticeship programs of their own so that individuals can also get training while completing their education. This will help in these students having apt knowledge of machinery they’re going to work with.
A country needs to be more skill based in order to increase its production and worth. A skill-based country has the capability to survive even in the most desperate conditions. India is in dire need of people with hands on knowledge of machinery and promote skill-based work culture.
However, current workforce has very little exposure to any sort of formal training. The lack of training results in inept style of working in these individuals. Keeping this lack of training in mind, companies have started introducing new lucrative training-oriented apprenticeship programs that offer earning while learning.
A number of companies are offering apprenticeship programs to students. Some such companies are:
Under Bosch’s apprenticeship program, trainees are trained at the company’s vocational centre where they’re taught through Basic and Advanced Training. They’re also given industrial exposure after their initial basic training. Apprentices are selected immediately after completing their 10th grade and undergo basic training in the first year, following which, they go under job-oriented training and industrial exposure in the second year.
Trainees are taught ‘multi-skilling’ where they are taught to perform with accuracy and high quality of work. There are classrooms, laboratories and workshops to learn each and every aspect of working with machinery. Students are also provided with a reasonable stipend. Students should have good academic skills and should be good with theory as well as practical knowledge.
Volkswagen provides apprenticeship in two fields, namely Mechanic Mechatronics and Welding. The applicant should have received at least 70% in Math and Science in 10th grade for the former, and at least 60% in 10th grade for the latter. After undergoing an aptitude test the trainees start their course, during which they also get a stipend.
The Mechanic Mechatronics course is of three years and the Welding course is of two years, under which trainees are taught with a unique training methodology with use of advanced technology available within the automobile industry.
This company is going one step ahead by offering an apprenticeship program which is 100% sponsored which offers students to pursue a degree in vocational course in formal skill university, along with placement guarantee in RS India (Rajendra and Ursula Joshi in joint venture with Switzerland’s SRM Mechanics AG) itself.
The program is in partnership with Bhartiya Skill Development University, under which students will gain professional qualification (Bachelor in Vocational training for manufacturing skills) while developing the most in-trends skills by working in industry in a six monthly semester systems for three years. After completion of B.Voc. from University, under this apprenticeship program, students will also get a chance to work and learn with world’s leading machine manufacturing companies.
Students participating in the apprenticeship program will get 100% scholarship from RS India. After completion of the course, the students will be awarded with a B.Voc. degree and will be hired by RS India to work for them. While pursuing the course, students will also be provided with stipend. Students may also get to go for a few weeks of training at SRM AG, RS India’s Swiss partner.
Students can apply to any of these apprenticeship programs and also look into programs offered by other companies. Under apprenticeship programs, as trainees, they will not only get to learn about the theory part of the work they want to do, but also practical knowledge about the machinery they’re going to work with. This helps them become skilled and work with machinery with expertise.
The author of this article is Priya Singh (HR manager of RUJ and SRM Mechanics Pvt. Ltd.)
