NewZNew (Ludhiana) : With the aim to boost employment opportunities through skill training for the youth of Punjab, Rockman Industries inaugurated a Rockman Skill Development Centre (RSDC) in Ludhiana today. The centre will offer courses in industrial training, basic computer literacy and soft skills.
The centre was inaugurated in the presence of Dr. Karan Avtar Singh IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Punjab, Ravi Bhagat IAS, Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana and Rakesh Verma IAS, Secretary & Mission Director, Punjab Skill Development Mission.
The centre will function in close coordination with the National Skill Development Centre (NSDC). To begin with it will train the youth in industrial vocations, soft skills and basic computer literacy. The pilot batch with 94 students has already started training in courses for CNC Operator, Fitter, Electrician and Welder. After graduation, the students would be industry-ready and have employment opportunities in the manufacturing units in Punjab. The district has a robust industrial base with a mix of MSMEs and large enterprises, contributing 29.73% to Punjab’s overall manufacturing output. These include bicycle, bicycle components, textiles, hosiery, cycle rickshaws, machine tools, auto parts, agriculture implements etc.
Speaking during occasion, Suman Kant Munjal, Chairman and MD, Rockman Industries said that over the past 56 years Rockman Industries has had a significant presence in Ludhiana with two manufacturing plants for automotive components and chains. A manufacturing facilities’ biggest asset are its workers. With India aiming to create a resource pool of 500 million skilled workers by 2022, the center will contribute its bit in achieving the target of the Prime Minister’s Skill India initiative. By the end of the year, we plan to open two more centres , one in Haridwar and another in Bawal, pointed out Munjal.
Meanwhile the centre is the first such centre from Rockman Industries in Ludhiana. The future plans include opening more RSDCs that will directly benefit the youth in finding employment. The company is working closely with the NSDC and organizations that specialize in imparting various vocational courses to the youth. Besides employment at industrial units, the purpose of attracting students to RSDC is also to make them self-reliant and to encourage them to become entrepreneurs.
A multi-pronged approach has been implemented to attract the youth to enrol at centre. This includes partnerships with NGOs, academic institutions and volunteers, who are responsible for mobilization in their operational domains. Further, pamphlets are distributed through volunteers and staff of RSDC in identified locations, residential colonies, villages etc. and to the workers in different industries, who can in turn reach out to relatives, neighbours and friends. Other steps include display of information notices at Rockman Industries plants, and contacting villages within 50-kilometre radius.
