ATDC Smart Newzine Autumn Volum 1Issue 2 by ATDC SMART

Between The Covers 04

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TAILOR-MADE for employ‘ability’ ATDC is today looking beyond mere skilling of its students under the Government’s Integrated Skill Development Scheme — it is addressing the issue of employ ‘ability’

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A new skillscape for ‘Textile Valley’

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l Career camps at Chhindwara l Workshops at ATDC Patna

stories to tell

l ATDC Jaipur joins career fair

Chief Patron: Dr. A. Sakthivel, Chairman AEPC, ATDC & IAM Honorary Managing Editor: Sh. Hari Kapoor, Vice-Chairman, ATDC

l Certificates awarded at Palwal SMART Skill Camp l Empowering widows, the ATDC Surat way l l Chaman International loves SMART trainees l Meet the Topper l A dizzying ride

120 students at ATDC Ludhiana get certificates

l ATDC Hyderabad celebrates Annual Day l SMART creates buzz at Budge Budge

l Choice matters l SOA/SOB courses at Maheshtala

interviews

Chief Editor: Dr. Darlie O. Koshy DG & CEO, ATDC & IAM

l Training Camp at ATDC-Okhla l Mission smile

Editor: Ms. Aanchal Prabhakar Jagga Content and Design: IANS Publishing

l Here comes ‘SMART Baarat’ l ‘SMART’ Moves

‘Employability is a key focus of ISDS, says Ms. Kiran Dhingra, Secretary, MOT; ‘ISDS uses private expertise, government funds,’ says Mr. V. Srinivas, JS (Exports), MOT

l Minister Wasnik inaugurates ATDC-Katol l New Skill Camps in Kerala l Imparting CAD/CAM skills, via ‘Reach’

CONTRIBUTORS: ATDC FIELDLEVEL AND STATE-LEVEL TEAMS

SMART NewZine is a bi-monthly publication of ATDC. All rights reserved. Content from SMART NewZine may be reproduced with permission. Feedback/ suggestion/ articles/ advertisements may be sent to: smartnewzine@atdcindia.co.in Cover Photo: ATDC student Ms. Preeti at the Noida Centre (Photo: Amlan Paliwal)

‘Open’ Dialogue ‘Open’ Dialogue will be a forum to discuss, debate and disseminate ideas that we hope will shape the present and future of the textile and apparel industry

et me begin with some of the key skill-related challenges that the apparel sector in our country faces. One is a fallout of the cost of production. Our high inflation rate is driving up costs at existing manufacturing centers. Large manufacturers are already concerned enough to contemplate future production units in areas close to cheaper labour. Two, there is a disconnect between training and employment, at least in some states. As the domestic apparel market and selling centers increase, small to medium factories have started coming up in these areas. A labour-work connect has to develop in such places. And three, as the apparel industry largely consists of small and medium level players — with only a few large, compliant factories — the culture of in-house training of workers or employing skilled workforce by choice is lacking. ATDC’s SMART initiative is already addressing these challenges. We transform raw trainees to qualified “SMART” operators, checkers, cutters, finishers, packers, inspection supervisors and embroiders in a short period of 30 days to four months. We empower trainees with domain and soft skills that allow them to be quickly absorbed by a factory and become valuable workers on the Shopfloor. We are training people at all levels of the industry. We expose them to advanced, modern machinery, thanks to Government funding and collaboration with machinery supply partners. More importantly, we are addressing the tremendous shortage of trainers to train these workers. We have operationalised two ATDC-SMART Training of Trainers’ (TOT) Academies in Gurgaon and Thiruvananthapuram — and the third one will be operational in Chhindwara (Madhya Pradesh) soon. We will soon enlarge our base of ATDC–SMART Training Hubs/Centres/Skill Camps to 150. The capacity of our TOTs is being increased. Our courses are being expanded to cover more skills, as suggested by the industry with focus continuing on workforce training as expected by the Ministry of Textiles, GOI. We are reaching a larger number of target groups through digital technologies. And finally, many of our new centres will come up in remote areas and hinterlands so that we help develop a healthy work culture in the local population.

MR. HARI KAPOOR, MD, ALLIED EXPORTS & VICE CHAIRMAN, ATDC

I am glad that the ATDC team has brought out the bi-monthly SMART NewZine promptly on my suggestion which will communicate to all the stake holders news and views related to ATDC’s initiatives and disseminate new developments on the skills and vocational training in the textiles and apparel sector. — Dr. A. Shaktivel, Chairman, AEPC & ATDC & IAM

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Tailor-made for employ‘ability’ ATDC is today looking beyond mere skilling of its students under the Government’s Integrated Skill Development Scheme — it is addressing the issue of employ ‘ability’

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The Apparel Advantage or those students who have any doubts about seeking a career in the apparel industry, here is advice from some of the country’s top exporters – it is a great place to be. For one, the salaries are better than most other sectors. And the industry is one of the most compliant as far as the security of the workers is concerned. Says, P.M.S. Uppal of Pee Emro Exports: “People who choose to work in the apparel sector instead of the agriculture sector, can earn 3-4 times more. Moreover, a good worker can also expect incentives from time to time.” Adds K.N. Singh of the Creative Group: “If someone is capable, then the industry has no problem in paying them well.This is especially true with the tailors.” More importantly, as a well organised sector, it also offers a clear career path to those who join it. “The sector is very good for growth. If one has the capability, he or she can get promotions easily and move up the ladder,” notes Vijay Jindal of SPL Industries. It’s also a thriving sector, with huge employment opportunities. Even if he leaves one job, a worker will easily find another, says V.K. Aggarwal of Pratibha Syntex, adding: “There is no dearth of employers.You don’t have to worry about job security.” Unlike other manufacturing sectors, the apparel industry offers its workers a healthier environment. As R.C. Kesar of the Okhla Garment Textile Cluster (OGTC) puts it:“The worker gets a comparatively cleaner environment.The hours are also comfortable in most organisations; they mainly have to work during the day.” Last, but not least, it can be a transforming experiencing. With comfortable jobs, even workers from underprivileged backgrounds can dream big. “Our workers now think of better education for their children. So there is a transformation not only in the lifestyle of the workers, but also of their aspirations,” says Mr. Uppal.

ijay Jindal, co-promoter of SPL Industries, a leading apparel export house based in Faridabad, has an interesting story to narrate about a set of new recruits in his establishment who were trained at a SMART Centre of the Apparel Training & Design Centre (ATDC). “I remember hiring four ATDC students as ‘quality checkers’ some time ago. And I was surprised to see that,

within a few days, those workers became better than the experienced workers,” he says. “They suggested a new way of checking the garments which proved to be very efficient. I still remember them because of the innovations that they made,” adds Mr. Jindal, whose company runs five factories spread over 50,000 sq ft with 4,000 workers. A similar story is narrated by P.M.S. Uppal, Managing Director, Pee Empro Exports, another large apparel export house that has several big names in the business as clients, including Gap, Old Navy, Cold Water, Esprit, Mothercare

and Chicos. “ATDC students are doing very well in the industry,” he says. “I remember hiring Satish Kumar who had come to us after completing a basic manufacturing course from ATDC. He is now the head of our training centre. He leads a team of three trainers who train 30-35 people every month.” This is no mean achievement. ATDC has been constantly adapting itself to address that one recurring dilemma that vocational training and skill development institutions often face. And this is the dilemma of training people in manner that they are industry-ready — in other words, truly “em-

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ployable”. And that requires much more than a well-designed course content. “There is definitely a disconnect between training and employment for the industry. But not at ATDC — we have strived to be different,” says Mr. Hari Kapoor, Vice Chairman of the institution that was established as a society in 1991 to impart vocational training to the industry by Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC). “A totally raw trainee is transformed into a SMART operator, checker, cutter, inspection supervisor, finisher and packers and embroider. In a short period, the person is initiated into the selected choice of work and is quickly absorbed with minimum shaping up of 15-20 days to become a valuable worker in a factory environment.” Industry is largely in agreement, lauding the role ATDC has been playing in providing skilled manpower to the apparel sector. “Before ATDC, there was no institute to teach these basic skills. Now, ATDC is introducing the students to the changing needs of the industry. ATDC is training the students as per the needs of the apparel industry. Earlier, people used to learn something about the machines from other users. But now ATDC teaches the students about the machines in a scientific way,” says Mr. Uppal. R.C. Kesar, Director, Okhla Garment Textile Cluster (OGTC), also attests to the unique role ATDC plays. “There are hardly any other institutes that train people for the apparel sector. ATDC students are good so far as they are introduced to the industry and made ready to work. They are employable.” And though he found ATDC students need more exposure to shopfloor practices and the latest machines, V.K. Aggarwal of Pratibha Syntex felt they could do even better if the institution “remained in regular touch with the industry and kept the students abreast with the changes”.

Working in the apparel industry can be a transforming experiencing. With comfortable jobs, even workers from underprivileged backgrounds can dream big. “Our workers now think of better education for their children. So there is a transformation not only in the lifestyle of the workers, but also of their aspirations,” says P.M.S. Uppal of Pee Emro Exports

“Employability” is also high on the government’s agenda. Under its Integrated Skill Development Programme (ISDS), the Ministry of Textiles is focused on this aspect of the National Skills Mission. Says Kiran Dhingra, Secretary: “We have advised all the Implementing Agencies to provide basic soft skills as part of the course curricula. Certainly, employability has to be the key focus”. (See interview on Page 11)

Being Technology-savvy According to Mr. Kapoor, courses at ATDC — which is now India’s largest vocational training network for the apparel industry — involve a multi-level educational set up that spans base level and multi-skill training, followed by exposure to modern, advanced machinery. “This is being achieved with collaboration with our machinery supply partners. We are gradually building all

It's a sector where, if someone is capable, then the industry has no problem in paying them well. This is especially true with the tailors K.N. Singh, Creative Group

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The students I hired suggested a new way of checking garments which proved to be eﬃcient. I still remember the innovations that they made. Vijay Jindal, SPL Industries

Responding to Industry needs INDUSTRY NEEDS

INDUSTRY NEEDS

GIVE STUDENTS MORE EXPOSURE TO ACTUAL SHOPFLOOR

EXPOSE STUDENTS TO THE LATEST IN TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENTS IN THE INDUSTRY

KEEP REVISING CURRICULA TO KEEP IT IN SYNC WITH NEW INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS

IN THIS DAY AND AGE, STUDENTS SHOULD AT LEAST HAVE A WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF COMPUTERS

THE APPAREL INDUSTRY NEEDS PEOPLE WITH SOFT SKILLS SUCH AS HYGIENE AND COMMUNICATION

SMART RESPONSE

Courses of 6 months and above already have an in-built internship/ in-factory training of 1-2 weeks to one month. Oneweek internship/ in-factory on anvil for SMART Fast-track advanced courses.

ATDC has the latest machines, in tandem with the apparel industry’s manufacturing advancements. Students also visit apparel fairs, machinery exhibitions to understand new technological advancements. They interact with industry experts at seminars & workshops.

The curricula is reviewed every 6 months by Academic Committees which comprises of domain experts, industry representatives, academicians and ATDC faculty members. ATDC also collaborates with similar institutions in Sri Lanka, UK and Hong Kong. Faculty is regularly sent for overseas training to keep them abreast with international practices.

All courses of 6 months and above duration already include a module on basic computer skills. An advanced computer skills module is part of the 2-year programme.

ATDC has a tie–up with Career Strokes for imparting soft skills training. In Phase 1, modules on teamwork, health & safety, hygiene and basic living standards have been introduced in SMART Soft Skills/behavioural competency modules in Hindi for north India. Roll-out in English & Tamil languages will be part of Phase 2.

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At the Cutting Edge he USP of ATDC is state of art factorysimulated infrastructure — in tandem with the apparel industry’s manufacturing advancements. And this it achieves by using the most modern, advanced machines to train its students, at the same time helping faculty keep abreast with the latest trends not only in India, but globally. In all of its 115 colleges/centres/skill camps across India, ATDC currently has over 5,600 of the latest high-tech machines which are also being used by the apparel industry. These include:

Industrial Sewing Machines: Single Needle Lock Stitch Machine (SNLS), SNLS-Under Bed Trimmer (UBT SNLS), 4-Thread Over Lock (4THD O/L), 5-Thread Over Lock (5THD O/L) and Flat Lock-Flat Bed Machine Advanced Special Purpose Sewing: Flat Lock-Cylindrical Bed Machine, Electronic Button Hole Machine, 2-Needle Feed of the Arm Machine, Button Attachment Machine, Bar Tack Machine, Bar Tack, Front Placket Making Machine, Waist Band Attaching Machine, Continuous Fusing press machine. Fabric Cutting Machines: Straight Knife and Round Knife. Others: Ramson Iron Table All the sewing machines are made by Juki or Brother, all Fabric Cutting Equipments are from Eastman, and all Special Sewing machines are of Eastman, Kansai, or Hashima. All top brands in the business. The brand SMART stands for new-age technology, contemporary curricula, and trainers trained in new methods and techniques. ATDC thus also constantly strives to upgrade the skills and competency of its faculty. This is achieved through two Training of Trainers’ Academy in Gurgaon and Thiruvananthapuram. A third is coming up in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, in August. Thanks to MOUs with similar institutions in Sri Lanka, the UK and Hong Kong, ATDC ensures overseas training of faculty, exposing them to global standards and emerging technologies. They return to impart this knowledge to trainees across the country. ATDC is also the only institute in the apparel space that has four CAD softwares (Tuka, Reach, Gerber, Lectra) to impart CAD/CAM training.

Skill Development Centres will be set up through public and private sector investment, but the larger role will be played by the private sector. Sharda Prasad, DGET, Ministry of Labour & Employment

levels of our education and training to meet the challenging demand of the apparel industry,” he says. Students are also encouraged to visit apparel and textile fairs so that they keep abreast of the latest technologies, innovations and trends in the sector they hope to join. They also gain from interactions with industry experts and top trainers from abroad at seminars and workshops that are a key part of their education. And last, but not least, they visit actual shopfloors for a reality check. In fact, keeping up with technology is an ongoing process at ATDC. Among the many initiatives on the cards on this front, a key one is the plan, currently underway, to launch an ATDC-JUKI Innovation Centre in Gurgaon, which will showcase the most modern technological advancements in the apparel industry. The institute also uses its strong linkages with key apparel manufacturing firms and exporters, as also the

domestic garment industry. Thanks also to the direct access provided by AEPC to all major exporters across the country and by participating in the trade fairs like ‘IIGF’ and ‘Tex-Trends’, the exporters have a chance to interact regularly with the ATDC teams. “We also regularly interact with leading garment manufacturers and leading garment associations. On the technology front, we have constant interactions and seminars with industry experts on production of knitwears, wovens, industrial engineering. We also keep regular touch with machinery giants like JUKI, Brother and Ramsons to get first-hand information and to keep ourselves abreast with the latest developments in technology,” notes Dr. Darlie O. Koshy, Director General and CEO of ATDC.

Unique Education Structure ATDC, however, goes beyond basic

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skills and addresses all employment needs of the apparel sector — from the base level to multi-skill training. This it achieves because of its unique structure. “We have developed a dynamic pyramidal structure of education and training — with the Institute of Apparel Management (IAM) offering higher education at the top-end, ATDC Community Colleges network developing the junior- to middle-level professionals and SMART Centres at the bottom of the pyramid, catering to shop-floor workforce,” says Dr. Koshy, who is also CEO of IAM. As for ATDC, the institute has more than 115 Teaching Centres and Skill Camps spread over 20 states — which include 25 Community Colleges in partnership with the Indira Gandhi National Open University offering certificate, diploma and associate degree programmes. The Fast-Track curricula for training the operators has been developed with the help of eminent industry experts and overseas training consultants. The current pedagogy includes the use of trainees’ kits, digital learning contents in blended-learning format, life- and soft-skill training, actual industry videos and interaction with local industry experts. These programmes also include one industry visit towards the end of the course completion. This apart, the institute is a partner of the Government of India in the Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS) for the Ministry of Textiles. It is thus part of the massive national effort to skill, re-skill and upgrade the skills of the millions of unskilled and semiskilled people across the country. The eligibility for the SMART project is 5th pass or equivalent for most courses. In some cases, it is 8th pass and 10th pass. The main aim of the initiative is to impart training to the youth, especially school dropouts, as well as women and the under-privileged — both in urban clusters and remote areas of the hinterland. The project aims to provide wage and gainful employment to those who need it. ‘SMART’, in fact, stands for ‘Skills for Manufacturing of Apparels

Through Research and Training’ that is an integral part of ISDS. ISDS is an outcome of the mandate given by the Prime Minister to skill 500 million Indians by 2022. It is a task the Government cannot achieve alone. “Seventy percent of the Indian population lives in rural areas. We are planning to set up 50,000 skill development centres concentrating on skills relevant to rural areas... These centres will be set up through public and private sector investment, but the larger role will be played by the private sector,” Sharda Prasad, DG, Directorate General Employment and Training (DGET), Ministry of Labour and Employment, was quoted as saying in an interview.

Responding to Industry As a crucial provider of trained personnel to the apparel sector, ATDC is quick to respond to industry requirements — for instance, the need for honing the soft skills of the students they train, or more exposure for students to actual shopfloor experience. “Soft skills have become very important these days. We focus on hiring people with good communications skills as they have the potential to increase the productivity at the factory. People with knowledge of hygiene and etiquettes

help create a healthy working environment,” says Rakesh Magu of Jyoti Apparels. Towards this, ATDC has tied up with www.careerstrokes.com, a division of Sun Online Learning India, for imparting soft skills training to students. As part of this initiative, modules have been developed and introduced as an essential part of the SMART programme that focus on teamwork, health, safety, hygiene and basic living standards. The roll-out is taking place in a phased manner. The first phase in Hindi for North India is already out. In phase two, soft-skill modules in English and Tamil will be rolled-out. ATDC understands that there is no beating hands-on experience for its students. For industry, too, this is a key concern. Which is why all ATDC programmes offered, that are of six-month duration or above, have an in-built internship/in-factory training of onetwo weeks to one month. The candidates seeking training under the diploma programmes are also required to submit internship reports, which are an essential part of the term-end evaluation. At present, the internship programmes are not available for short-

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duration courses. But that could change soon. The ATDC is working towards including a one-week/in-factory training towards the last leg of the SMART Fast-Track Advanced Courses. Once done, it will address a key industry concern.

Training Trainers With an ambitious mandate of training 172,000 people by 2015, ATDC was also quick to realise the importance of trainers. And it has addressed the issue by setting up its own academies to train trainers. ATDC has already operationalised two ATDC-SMART Training of Trainers (TOT) Academies at Gurgaon in Haryana and Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. The third one will soon be operational at Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh in a couple of months. “Over 390 lecturers, instructors and trainers have been trained so far,” according to AEPC & ATDC Chairman Dr. A. Sakthivel.

Soft skills have become very important. We focus on hiring people with good communications skills... they increase productivity at the factory Rakesh Magu, Jyoti Apparels

The institution is also looking at the future, considering it mandate. The number of ATDC-SMART Training Centres and Skill Camps is being increased from 115 to 150. The capacity of trainers is being enhanced. Prototype testing laboratories are being set up for training lab assistants. Digital technology is being deployed to reach a much larger audience. And new centres are being set up in rural catchment areas with an understanding of the work culture of local population. “We hope to see a major transformation in the apparel sector in the next five-six years,” says Kapoor. “More factories are expected to come up in smaller towns to address the twin issues associated in large cities — high costs and lack of trained labour force. As the industry modernises and transforms, the need for trained manpower with multiple skill-sets will also increase. We are adapting ourselves to the changing times.”

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INTERVIEW: Ms. Kiran Dhingra, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles

‘Employability is a key focus of ISDS’ A huge skilling effort is underway under the Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS). Should ISDS go beyond mere “skilling” and address the issue “employability” of those who are skilled? The Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS) in textiles is intended to prepare the youth in India, especially those between 1835 age group, for suitable employment in the Textiles & Apparel sector. Obviously, the domain skills and soft skills are both important for ensuring employability. In the pilot stage itself, we have advised all the Implementing Agencies to provide basic soft skills as part of the course curricula. Certainly, employability has to be the key focus. We would like to see a minimum 75 percent of the trainees being placed with industry. What role do you envisage for Component-I & Component-II? Are you satisfied with the progress of Component-I? Component-I are organisations which are associated with the MOT, GOI, or are under its umbrella already operating as Research Association/Training Institution, etc. In order to implement the scheme and get sufficient inputs on the pilot project, the government had to depend on a set of agencies with knowledge of the sector and the Component-I represent these groups of institutions. Component-II are basically PPP models with private parties. Component-I institutions had made significant progress by achieving successful training of over 50,000 people in the first year. Further strengthening of these organisations is underway along with adding agencies under Component-II to scale-up the skilling mission of textiles & apparel.

INTERVIEW: Mr. V. Srinivas, Joint Secretary (Exports), Ministry of Textiles

‘ISDS uses private expertise, government funds’ How is ISDS of the Ministry of Textiles progressing? The ISDS scheme pilot phase has been successfully completed in the period 2010-12. Schemes of all 18 institutions of Component I of ISDS implemented through government institutions have been put in place. Twelve projects of Component II to be implemented through private industry have been sanctioned. The ISDS model brings together the expertise of private industry with the knowledge of government institutions to meet industry demands for skilled manpower.

Does ISDS seek the views of industry/employers on its skilling efforts to ascertain their requirements? That is the basic tenet of the new skilling approach. Since manpower is being provided to meet the needs of a growing industry, it makes for common sense that industry should define what areas require manpower and the skills most necessary for these areas. For the pilot, industry’s achievement has been sought by setting up a stakeholders’ forum, and its recommendations and suggestions have been incorporated in the action plans of the Ministry. Going forward, the Ministry is planning to create a superstructure comprising Sector Skill Committees, to define skilling needs and objectives, and Resource Support Agencies to prepare curriculum, resource material, trainers, etc., and to give certificates. The Ministry has begun discussions to finalise this input, obtaining Industry and stakeholders’ feedback will be a continuous process and every Implementing Agency will have to adjust its training programmes to match industry’s changing manpower needs and meet its requirement.

What have been the learnings so far from the first phase of implementation of ISDS? The pilot phase has highlighted the enormous demand for skill development in the textiles sector. Not only was the scheme well received by government institutions with considerable experience in the textiles sector, but private industry has also responded with considerable enthusiasm. Several major apparel factories and textiles mills, including industry associations like SIMA, have come forward to participate in the program on a PPP basis. Risk-transfer and risk-sharing formats have been well developed under the scheme, and one can say that the scheme now has adequately robust institutional structures for implementation in the 12th Five Year Plan. In your view what are the prospects of the textiles industry? The decade is likely to witness rapid capitalisation of the textiles industry, with technology upgradation and modernisation catalysed by TUFS. Textiles exports are projected to grow at 15 percent in the 12th Five Year Plan and reach $65 billion. With an increased manufacturing base and rising exports, the textiles industry will provide significant employment, particularly in the apparel sector. The 12th Five Year Plan schemes are oriented to achieve double-digit growth rates.

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A new Skillscape for ‘Textile Valley’ l Tamil Nadu will invest `15 lakh crore on infrastructure and other development activities by 2023; the state’s textiles and apparel industry will be a major beneficiary. l The state aims to generate 20,000 MW of additional power in the next 10 years; the move will help the textiles and apparel industry achieve inclusive growth and skill development. — Vision Tamil Nadu 2023

oimbatore, Tirupur, Salem, Madurai — cities known globally for their textiles and apparel units — need no introduction. Accounting for onethird of the nationwide textile businesses, Tamil Nadu’s textiles and apparel industry provides direct employment to over five million people. But, with changing times, as high economic growth and industrialisation set new standards for a skilled workforce, the state’s textiles and apparel sector is witnessing huge demand for qualified professionals suited for the industry. This is where ATDC, with its expertise in training highly skilled per-

sonnel for the sector, comes in. From October 2010, the ATDCSMART Centres/Skill Camps began making their presence felt in the state — Egmore, Tirupur, Dharmapuri, Peramballur, Permakudi, Erode, Salem, Guindy (Chennai)... From the word go, these ATDCSMART Centres started skilling and upskilling people so that they could hit the ground running when they join the textiles and apparel industry. On July 3, 2012, in a crucial meeting where senior state and ATDC officials met to take stock of the impressive ATDC-SMART journey in Tamil Nadu, several key ideas were mooted to further the initiative. The two key suggestions were: l Open 22 more ATDC-SMART Centres in the state by 2015. l Extend financial support to the ATDC-SMART Centres and sanction stipends to ATDC-SMART trainees. “The state government could support the Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS) operations by opening 22 SMART Centres in the next twothree years,” Mr. V. Srinivas, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Government

flashlight of India, told Thiru. G. Santhanam, Secretary to Government, Handlooms, Handicrafts, Textiles & Khadi Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, in a meeting recently. Mr. Srinivas, who visited ATDCSMART Egmore and ATDC-SMART Guindy Centres on June 1, reiterated that the state government should continue `2,000 stipend to those trainees hailing from poor backgrounds during the training period (78-90 days) so that they can meet their daily expenses. The state Government, in addition to skilling the freshers and upskilling the workforce, is keen on getting them employed in the garment manufactur-

“THE STATE GOVERNMENT COULD SUPPORT THE INTEGRATED SKILL DEVELOPMENT SCHEME (ISDS) OPERATIONS BY OPENING 22 SMART CENTRES IN TAMIL NADU IN THE NEXT TWO-THREE YEARS,” SAID MR. V. SRINIVAS, JOINT SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF TEXTILES, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA.

ing and export companies and domestic garment manufacturing companies at the shopfloor level. “To reduce the unemployment menace, both the state government and ATDC Centres/Skill Camps are working together,” said Mr. T.C. Balasubramanian, Registrar (South), ATDC-SMART Guindy Centre. A new skillscape is emerging in the state which has the largest workforce engaged in the Textile-Apparel value chain. Over 27 percent of the 110 million people, directly or indirectly employed in the country, are in Tamil Nadu. With such smart moves, the “Textile Valley” is set to reach new heights in the future.

Mr. V. Srinivas, JS (Exports) MOT, GOI, at Guindy, Egmore Centres

hough a nurse by profession, Ms. Kamala Devi had a keen interest in garments. Last year, she got herself enrolled for the oneyear Diploma in Apparel Manufacturing Technology (AMT) and the one-year Diploma in Fashion Design Technology (FDT) courses at ATDC-SMART Guindy Centre (Chennai). On June 1 this year, when she stood up to share her experiences with Mr.V. Srinivas, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, as he visited ATDC-SMART Guindy Centre, Kamala Devi was proud of the fact that her choice was right as these courses have not only made her employable, but also inculcated in her a much-needed confidence lacking just a year ago. Mr. Yusuff Khan, another student who works as a tailor and enrolled for the one-year Diploma in AMT course to further enhance his technical knowledge in pattern-making, cutting and stitching, had a similar story to narrate. For Mr. Srinivas, those examples were enough to prove that ATDC-SMART Centres/Skill Camps across Tamil Nadu are skilling and upskillng the workforce. During his first visit to ATDC-SMART Egmore Centre, Mr. Srinivas keenly observed the training activities and interacted directly with some of the students. “He spoke to students at length, took from them details regarding training programmes and whether the courseware

was comprehensive yet easy to understand.The students were quite happy with the regular practical exercises and close supervision of the faculty,” said Mr. T.C. Balasubramanian, Registrar (South), ATDC-SMART Guindy Centre. The Joint Secretary also appreciated the finishing of the garment products stitched by ATDC-SMART students. Later, in a meeting with

THE JOINT SECRETARY ALSO APPRECIATED THE FINISHING OF THE GARMENT PRODUCTS STITCHED BY ATDC-SMART STUDENTS

Thiru. G. Santhanam, Secretary, Handlooms and Textiles Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, Mr. Srinivas invited him to visit the ATDCSMART Guindy and Egmore Centres so that he could have first-hand information about the functioning of these centres. “Mr. Srinivas was impressed with the suggestion that about 2,500–3,000 sq. ft. of area with power connection could be provided by the state government to ATDC-SMART Centres, to enable us to open more Centres across the state,” said Mr. Balasubramanian.

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Awareness Programmes

Career camps at Chhindwara WORKSHOPS AT ATDC PATNA

TDC Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, organised career camps at various places in and around town to promote awareness about admission to the ATDC SMART courses. As a result of these efforts, a large number of people have now come to know about the advantages of the Fast-track ATDC SMART courses. To spread awareness beyond the town, a camp was also held at Government College, Damua, some 60 km from Chhindwara. More than a 100 students attended the session and raised a number of queries about the new integrated ATDC Campus coming up at Chhindwara. Mr. P.K. Yadav, Principal, ATDC Chhindwara, informed the gathering about different courses, training of trainersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; programmes and the placement opportunities to be offered by

the new ATDC integrated campus at Chhindwara which will be fully operational by August, 2012. The gathering was also informed about other ATDC SMART Centres & Skill Camps at over 10 locations (Nagpur, Chhindwara, Jabalpur, Napier City, Bhopal, Amarwara, Dindori, Indore, Dewas, and Mhow) in Madhya Pradesh. The three-hour-long presentation was attended by a large number of students. Mr. R.S. Sharma, Principal, Government College, Damua, and Mr. P. R. Chandelkar, Principal, Government College, Junnardeo, also attended the event. Ms. Shilpa Jain, Instructor, and Ms. Pooja Agarwal, Trainer, coordinated the event and explained the basic technical aspects of tie-dyeing the fabrics to the students.

o familiarize students with PostGraduate programmes and Professional upgradation courses in the apparel sector, an awareness-cumpromotion programme was conducted by the Institute of Apparel Management (IAM) at ATDC Patna in May. The camp aimed to create awareness among the final semester students who were keen to understand the scope of vertical mobility through further studies in the field. Around 55 students from ATDC Patna and the ULTRA Fashion Institute, apart from interested candidates from other fashion institutes in Patna, attended the session conducted by Assistant Professors of IAM. The faculty members briefed the students about the various courses offered by IAM, and spoke extensively on the teaching methodology, the fee structure of various courses, the loan facilities available and the placement opportunities that the institute offers.

ATDC Jaipur joins career fair A TDC Jaipur participated in the career fair organised by Rajasthan Patrika, a Hindi newspaper, from May 26 to 31 at Ambedkar Park, Jaipur, in order to disseminate information about its admission process. As the event focused on providing career guidance to school and college-goers, many students also

inquired about the new academic session starting from 30th July, 2012 at ATDC Jaipur. The Admission Counselor is following up on the database of the visitors for admission to the sixmonths/one-year ATDC-Community College programmes. It expects a good number of students seeking admission this session.

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Certificate Distribution

120 students get certificates C

Certificates awarded at Palwal SMART Skill Camp

tudents who successfully completed courses at the ATDC Skill Camp at Palwal in Haryana have been awarded certificates. Mr. Pushpendra Chauhan, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Palwal, gave away the certificates in the presence of Ms. Poonam Malhotra, Principal, ATDC Faridabad, and other faculty members. ATDC had opened a new Skill Camp at Rasulpur Chowk, Palwal, in February. The Camp has trained around 80 students in the Sewing Machine Operators basic programme so far. Appreciating the efforts of the students, especially the female

students, Mr. Chauhan encouraged them to take up jobs in the apparel industry or to adopt the path of self-employment. Ms. Malhotra highlighted the centre's activities and how the candidates were trained on the latest machineries in simulated factory environment according to the requirement of the apparel industry. Mr. Kunj Bibahri Sharma, Incharge, ATDC Palwal Skill Camp, requested Mr. Chauhan to help arrange a bigger space in Palwal so that more students from the region could be trained in ATDC SMART courses. He assured all possible help in this regard.

Empowering widows, the ATDC Surat way TDC Surat and District Social Defence, Surat jointly organised a Certificate and stipend distribution Ceremony for the widow candidates who successfully completed their training in the ATDC-SMART Sewing Machine Operator Course. The event was organised at the Dr. Rajendra Prasad Primary School in June, 2012. ATDC Surat trained 175 widow candi-

dates, with the Government of Gujarat providing sewing machines and stipend support to these women candidates. Mrs. Smrati Irani, Member, Rajya Sabha, was chief guest and handed over the certificates to trainees. ATDC Surat and District Social Defence now plan to impart training other underprivileged sections of the society during the year 2012-13.

ertification distribution ceremony for 120 candidates trained by ATDC, Ludhiana and sponsored by National Scheduled Castes Finance & Development Corporation (NSFDC), New Delhi during 2011-12 was organised in June, 2012. The students were very happy to receive the certificates and almost all of them conveyed their joy on being absorbed by the local Garment Export Houses. ATDC Ludhiana, in addition to its regular courses, is currently offering the six-month Production Supervision & Quality Control course to Scheduled Castes and Below the Poverty Line candidates free of cost.

Annual Day ATDC Hyderabad celebrates Annual Day ATDC Hyderabad celebrated its 15th Annual Day on May 1718, with the event beginning with a display of garments designed by students. A number of other organisations also participated in the event and showcased their products. Mr. J.R. Sudheer, Managing Director, Andhra Pradesh Christian (Minorities) Finance Corporation, inaugurated the event by lighting a lamp, along with Mr. Rami Reddy, Head, Operations, Ramky Foundation, and Pramila Rani, Principal, ATDC, Hyderabad. LMC (Local Management Committee) members and a large number of exporters also attended the event. Mr. Sudheer and Mr. Reddy gave away certificates to sponsored candidates and prizes to winners of various co-curricular activities.The students enthusiastically participated in various cultural programmes, including a play. The highlight of the event was a fashion show that showcased garments and designs created by students of ATDC Hyderabad.

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New Skill Camps

SMART creates buzz at Budge Budge

op officials of the Budge Budge Municipality in West Bengal were at hand on June 5 for the inauguration of a ATDC-SMART Skill Camp to provide vocational training and help in the uplift of weaker sections of society. Municipality Chairperson Ms. Phulu Dey, Vice Chairman Goutam Dasgupta, and nearly 15 Councilors and Officers attended the event where the first batch of students began their SMART course. Ms. Dey thanked ATDC for starting the SMART Operator Basic & Advance training programmes. On the occasion, Mr. Amitava Roy, Principal ATDC Santoshpur, thanked the management of Budge Budge Municipality for providing training space as gratis to ATDC for imparting skills improving lives.

SOA/SOB courses at Maheshtala The SMART Operator Basic & Advance (SOB/SOA) training programmes, targeted at unemployed youth, were launched at Maheshtala Municipality in West Bengal on June 12. The opening ceremony of the programmes, sponsored by the State Urban Development Agency (SUDA), was attended by local dignitaries and ATDC officials. A message by Maheshtalla Municipality Chairman Mr. Dulal Das was also read out to the candidates at the occasion.

Training Camp at ATDC-Okhla

ATDC-SMART SKILL CAMPS STARTED BETWEEN APRIL-JUNE l April — Singhanpur (Gujarat), Godhra (Gujarat), Rajnandgaon (Chhattisgarh), Gaya (Bihar), Murshidabad (U.P.) l May — Manesar Dausa (Rajasthan), Gabheni (Gujarat), Banpur (Odisha), Gunpur (Odisha), Polosara (Odisha), Naihati (W.B.), Silliguri (W.B.) l June — Bhowpur (U.P.), Badarpur (Delhi), Katol (Maharashtra), Budge Budge (W.B.), Maheshtala (W.B.)

To help improve the livelihood of the people in and around Badarpur area, ATDC Okhla has set up a SMART-Skill Training Camp for garment manufacturing in the area. Those from nearby places such as Meethapur, Prahaladpur, Molarband, Sarita Vihar and Lakarpur will benefit from the camp. After completing the courses, candidates will be able to seek for employment in apparel units in the Faridabad and Okhla industrial belts.

SMART Innovations

Mission smile

Here comes ‘SMART Baarat’

n the occasion of the World Day Against Child Labour on June 12, the ATDC Bhubaneshwar faculty raised funds and distributed clothes to child labourers engaged in the construction sector. The initiative brought smiles and cheers all around!

‘SMART’ moves n The ‘ATDC-PRAGATI’ ERP System, in collaboration with M/s Core Education and Technology, will link all 115 ATDC Hubs/Centres/Skill Camps and help real-time tracking and monitoring soon.

n an innovating move, ATDC organised 'SMART Baraat' at the Mansarovar locality of Jaipur recently. Attended and appreciated by over 250 people, the ‘Baraat’ had the band and the Baaraatis wearing ‘SMART’ logos. Even the wedding horse had a 'SMART' way ahead! In Rajasthan, ATDC-SMART Centres have presence in Jaipur, Jodhpur, Sitapura, Bhilwada, Chittaurgadh, Jhunjhunu and Rawatsar districts.

n With an aim to make the delivery of contents standardised, the ATDC has launched the first module of digital contents for ‘Sewing Machine Operator’ course in New Delhi on July 16. Minister for Commerce, Industry and Textiles Anand Sharma and Dr. A. Shaktivel, Chairman, Apparel Export Promo-

tion Council, launched the module at the AEPC/ATDC Theme Pavillion during ‘Tex Trends 2012’ — a fair organised for various stakeholders of the textiles industry at Pragati Maidan in the Capital from July 16-18. The digital contents will help the trainees to assimilate the training more effectively.

NEWS FLAGS

Minister Wasnik inaugurates ATDC-Katol

NEW SKILL CAMPS IN KERALA

nion Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Mukul Wasnik inaugurated the ATDC-Katol Skill Camp in Nagpur on June 22. The event was attended by Hari Kapoor, Vice Chairman, ATDC and Dr. Darlie O. Koshy, Director General & CEO, ATDC & IAM. After inaugurating the ATDC-SMART Skill Camp, Minister Wasnik visited the machine lab, embroidery section, class room and cutting room at the Skill Camp. Over 90 candidates got themselves enrolled in the first batch offering Garment Construction Techniques (GCT) & Sewing Machine Operator (Basic & Advance) courses. The training is sponsored by the National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC), New Delhi. According to Mukul Wasnik, the ATDC-Katol Skill Camp will be a milestone for those interested in joining the textiles and apparel sector. Dr. Koshy explained the importance of SMART training to the minister via powerpoint presentation. Shri Kapoor informed the minister about the Pan-India success of ATDCSMART Centres/Skill Camps, that is part

he ATDC is all set to inaugurate its eighth ATDC-SMART Skill Camp in Kerala. Mr. M.K. Muneer, State Minister for Panchayats is scheduled to launch the Camp on July 29. The Skill Camp will commence training with two batches of 30 candidates each in SMART Sewing Machine Operator Advanced Course; two batches of 30 candidates each in SMART Quality Checker Course; and one batch of 30 candidates in SMART Sewing Machine Operator Basic Course. The courses are sponsored by National Minorities Development and Finance Development Corporation (NMDFC) through their state channelising agency Kerala State Women’s Development Corporation (KSWDC). Preparations are underway to launch two more Skill Camps in Nilamboor and Palakkad districts by August 2012. Kerala currently has two ATDC-SMART Hubs at Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur. Under the Thiruvananthapuram Hub, Skill Camps at Kochi, Poojappura, Chirayinkeezhu, Kollam and Vengara are operational.

of the Integrated Skills Development Scheme (ISDS) of Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. H.S. Kingra, CMD, NSFDC; A.A. Naqvi, Managing Director, NBCFDC and P. Gajbhiye, MD, VJNT Mumbai, appreciated the state-of-the-art machines and infrastructure available at the Skill Camp. Others who attended the Skill Camp inauguration were Mr. Shivaji Rao Moghe, State Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment; Mr. Anil Deshmukh, State Minister of Food & Civil Supplies; Mr. Nitin Raut, State Minister of Employment Guarantee Scheme and Mr. Rajendra Mulak, State Minister of Finance and Energy.

Imparting CAD/CAM skills, via ‘Reach’

o make its faculty members aware of the current trends in IT applications, the ATDC-SMART TOT Academy, in collaboration with Reach Sewn Technologies Pvt. Ltd., conducted training workshops on ‘Reach Softwares’ in May-June. Over 70 ATDC faculty members participated in the training conducted at ATDC Bhubaneswar (May 21-25); ATDCSMART TOT Academy Thiruvananthapuram (June 11-15) and ATDC SMART TOT Academy Gurgaon (June 25-29). Aimed to equip faculty members with

knowledge and skills in the areas of IT application in the apparel Industry, the training sessions were attended by freshers as well as trainers. At ATDC-SMART TOT Academy in Gurgaon, Ms. Manisha Sinha, Director, Ministry of Textiles, gave away the certificates to the successful candidates.

‘REACH’ SOFTWARES l l l l l l

REACH Fashion Studio REACH Cad Pattern REACH Merchandising Manager REACH Style Manager REACH Cut Planner REACH Sewing Data Bank

LAUNCH

Extending outreach, via SMART NewZine! T

he Apparel Training & Design Centre (ATDC), which is imparting training under the Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS) for employability in India’s apparel industry, formally launched its bi-monthly magazine, titled ‘SMART NewZine,’ on June 9. The magazine, which will eventually come out in select vernaculars to cater to the needs of every region of the country, was launched by Mr. V. Srinivas, Joint Secretary (Exports), Ministry of Textiles, on the sidelines of the Executive Committee meeting of the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) in Kolkata. AEPC Chairman Dr. A. Sakthivel said the magazine would primarily make people aware about the activities of ATDC, which is training the youth, women and disadvantaged sections of the society to ensure their employability in India’s apparel industry, the second largest contributor to employment generation after agriculture. Noting that the institute, with a network of over 115 centres, needs to reach out and communicate its activities and initiatives and about the courses on offer, Dr. Sakthivel said SMART NewZine will also apprise the readers about the running and future activities of the institute. Lauding the initiative, Srinivas said,

“It is an outstanding move. It will disseminate information about the various programmes of ATDC and skill building. Knowledge dissemination is an important aspect of this.” According to him, the magazine would have to emphasise on how the employability patterns are coming up under the skill development programme and the employment opportunities that are available in the Indian apparel industry. AEPC Vice Chairman H.K.L. Magu said people who are already working in the industry and want to go for further

FEEDBACK SMART NewZine gives interesting information to various design hubs catering to the textiles and apparel industry. I wish the publication a great success in days to come. — Mr. Sharda Prasad, Director General, Directorate General Employment and Training, Government of India We appreciate the effort in bringing out the first issue of SMART NewZine. The magazine is very informative and comprehensive in the areas of apparel training and designing.

education would be the target readers of the magazine. ATDC Vice Chairman Hari Kapoor said the bi-monthly, which would target youngsters, is “informative, characterbuilding and also technically useful”. Emphasising ATDC’s role in preparing the major chunk of India’s trained workforce for the sector, Dr. Darlie O. Koshy, Director General and CEO, ATDC & IAM, said, “89,000 people have come out of ATDC since 1996, and 35,000 people in just last three years and now, it is time to extend our outreach”.

— Surojit Sanyal, Library In-Charge, Indian Jute Industries’ Research Association, Kolkata

The magazine showcases your work in skilling and reskilling India. — V.K. Aggarwal, Head HR, Pratibha Syntex Ltd., Indore

Thanks for highlighting Sambhava Foundation’s activities. We look forward to further strengthening our cooperation in the future. — Madhu Kanoria, Sambhava Foundation

stories to tell

Chaman International loves SMART trainees

Meet the topper

A dizzying ride

aipur-based Chaman International Export House is among the big recruiters of ATDC SMART students. So far, the company has hired about 125 trainees — and is happy to have done so. Mr. Kamal Arora, who heads Chaman, says ATDCSMART students are well trained and capable of operating the modern systems installed at the Sanganer plant of the export-oriented company. These include the latest Juki and Kansai machines, a state-of-the-art steam press and an advanced packaging system. Female students came in for special praise, with Mr. Arora saying he was impressed with their output and focus, though the

men were good too. “Our vision is to develop a work culture where every worker can deliver maximum and upgrade their expertise. We are committed to turn this organisation into a trendsetter in the apparel production and export business,” says Mr. Arora, who is impressed by the “training and knowledge-imparting environment” at ATDC SMART centres and wants others to emulate it. Starting small, Chaman is today a `6 crore company with exports to countries such as the U.S. and Turkey. And the amiable Mr. Arora is targeting to grow it into a giant. And ATDC SMART trainees will surely play a role in this!

An alumni of ATDC Bangalore, Manu Menon topped both Diploma in Pattern Drafting, Cutting (former ATDC programme) and Production Supervision, Quality Control programme. Over the years, he has emerged as a leader with diverse and substantial handson experience at various export houses in India, Cambodia, Indonesia and Bangladesh. For the past five years, he is into domestic retail as Regional Head (QA) for North & East for Reliance Trends Ltd. “My faculty members went an extra mile to help me get ready for the industry. I thank them for instilling in me courage,” recalls Manu. He has written ‘Quality Assurance & Technical Manuals’ for At Last Sportswear Inc, South East Asia, Wearwel Cambodia and Shahi Exports. He was a team leader and resource person for implementing and following up of JC Penney systems — an industry benchmark for quality systems.

Dipti Mishra only had a vague idea of the apparel industry when she decided to join the Apparel Manufacturing Technology course at ATDC Bhubaneshwar. After successfully completing her course, Dipti did her internship at Texport Syndicate, Bangalore. Soon after, she found a job at Arvind Ltd., the flagship company of the Lalbhai Group. Recognising her talent and commitment, the company has now entrusted Dipti with much more responsibilities.

Choice matters Lal Singh Pandram used to earn his livelihood by pulling a rickshaw. But even after long hours of drudgery every day, he couldn't earn more than `2,500 a month. He then decided do a Sewing Machine Operator course at ATDC Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh. Soon after completing the course, Lal Singh got a job at Pratibha Syntex, at Pithampur, Indore.With his diligence and perseverance, Lal Singh has now risen to the level of Line Incharge in the same company and draws a salary of `10,000 a month.

placements

ATDC Chhindwara and ATDC SMART Amarwara centres

/s. Unitex Apparel Pvt. Ltd. Bangalore recruited a record 67 students for various positions in the company from ATDC Chhindwara and ATDC-SMART Amarwara centres in Madhya Pradesh during Campus Placement Interviews on June 25 and June 26. Mr. Umapathy, Manager, Human Resource, M/s. Unitex Apparel Pvt.Ltd., visited the centres to conduct the interviews. A total of 79 students from both the centres competed for the posts of machine operators, checkers and packers available with the company.

IN SUMMARY

The SMART story continues... (Continued from the first issue)

DR. DARLIE O. KOSHY DG & CEO, ATDC & IAM

In a two-part series, Dr. Darlie O. Koshy, who believes in ‘design democracy,’ takes us through the past on how the idea to skill millions of people in the apparel sector via initiatives like ATDC-SMART Centres, TOT Scheme and Community Colleges came into being, and the roadmap ahead...

We, therefore, decided to bring in higher level of technology at all its training centres. In the first phase, a total of 521 machines were purchased upgrading 13 centres primarily in Northern & Eastern region and in the second phase, 1,041 machines were purchased and installed in 24 centres across India and in the third phase, nearly 1,000 machines will be added across 26 centres in the country. This had a positive effect in terms of infrastructure and technology used in ATDC’s instructional context. In addition an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to link all the 115 centres on a real-time basis is getting ready by July/August this year. Evaluation, Certification and the Industry Feedback ATDC had to develop a certification system for which we developed community colleges with IGNOU through which SMART courses were also covered as Non-Credit Customised Courses. It also helped us in developing unique data base of all the candidates who were given not only the chance to acquire noncredit certification but also lateral/vertical mobility to join creditised courses of six months, one year and two years. In order to continuously monitor industry feedback a separate Placement Cell was created at the NHO which not only organises placement across the country but loops in feedback on the courses and the candidates. Robust Model of Working Partnership In order to develop avenues for dovetailing of finances to the tune of 25 percent of the training cost of ATDC, we have been able to develop strong partnership with state governments and their agencies. The support received from Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, etc. have been exemplary. There has also been partnership with private sector CSR initiatives which have also been growing.

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Contact: Apparel Training & Design Centre, National Head Office Paridhan Vikas Bhawan, Plot-No. 50, Institutional Area, Sector-44, Gurgaon-122003 Phone: 0124-4659500/01 Website: www.atdcindia.co.in

Creating Dynamic Skill Pyramid for Shaping the Horizon of Apparel Industry AEPC being the largest export Council with the largest network of training institutions needed to create a model for the country’s skill development. It was in this context that I have been articulating the “skill pyramid” which will address all the skill requirements creating an eco-system from shopfloor to junior managers and supervisors and managers and designers at the top of the pyramid. The SMART brand created under ISDS has enabled shopfloor training while 25 Community Colleges in the middle have enabled six months, one year and two years’ Diploma programmes and, at the top, the Institute of Apparel Management through its International and Indian Pathways shaping high-quality designers and managers. If I look at the DNA of all these institutes, it is “by the industry, of the industry, for the industry” and, therefore, being industry ready is the key factor which differentiates these institutions. In the year which ended on 31st March 2012, the target set by the Ministry of Textiles of 14,000 candidates for SMART was exceeded, crossing over 15,000, and in the middle segment of Community Colleges, cumulatively, over 5,000 candidates in the last two years and on the top at IAM, there are about 300 candidates pursuing their courses. It is our endeavour by 2014-15 that these three integral parts of pyramid help to cross 50,000 candidates underlying the rationale for setting up India’s largest apparel vocational university by aligning these institutions. There are millions of youth in India who are seeking employment and the several industry units in India are seeking employable youth and it is this linkage which can be created by the skill pyramid by connecting it as an integrated dynamic model. Concludes

THERE ARE MILLIONS OF YOUTH IN INDIA WHO ARE SEEKING EMPLOYMENT AND THE SEVERAL INDUSTRY UNITS IN INDIA ARE SEEKING EMPLOYABLE YOUTH AND IT IS THIS LINKAGE WHICH CAN BE CREATED BY THE SKILL PYRAMID BY CONNECTING IT AS AN INTEGRATED MODEL