Festival issue vol 2 by ATDC SMART

THRUST ON

PRODUCT

SPECIALITY

Product specialisation is the new buzzword and growth driver in apparel exports. And ATDC has stepped in with Product Speciality Training Centres to ensure that industry is not short of skilled manpower in its bid to improve unit value realisation

n k ar u H i k r Huna nity for ATDC /

tes ortu An opp cational Institu o V & exhibit students Skill Camps to case / Centres kills and show S d n e eme t acquir kill Mov S C D T A 21, 2014 I ibition Feb 20h M I Ex -5.00 P M urgaon A G , 0 e s .3 9 l Hou re a p p A Area, P11

Between The Covers 04

in focus

Thrust on PRODUCT SPECIALITY 12

flashlight

Knit your dreams With ever-expanding training footsteps in Punjab, especially in Ludhiana, ATDC, armed with Product Speciality Training Centres, Textile Testing Labs and standardised curricula, is all set to change the skillscape of this vibrant northwest state

14 -22 news flags l ATDC-JUKI TECH Innovation & Industry Hub: A growth driver

l Textiles Testing labs: A new chapter opens l Your date with Adobe training l West Bengal takes a skill turn l SSO training at Muchi Bazar l Skill booster for Khuni Majra/Pettah joins skill bandwagon

stories to tell l Preparing entrepreneurs!

l Maximum skilling impact for Mal l Skilling has a new address, in Ratlam

l Margins do matter l ATDC brings back smile l Realising dreams

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

l Vastra 2013: ATDC shines/Empowering SC candidates l Skill echo gets louder/Warangal gets skill taste l Leading skilll awareness/Weaving dreams

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

l New mantra: skilling beyond campus

in summary Dr. Darlie O. Koshy on how ‘Product Speciality Training Centres’ are the future and how ATDC is ready to lead India embark on a journey from ‘entry level’ to ‘sophisticated’ products...

l Creativity meets patriotism at ATDC Surat l Navratras get a lift, at ATDC Surat/Can’t miss this carpet! l Reaching every doorstep, in Odisha/Sparkles at ATDC Patna l Earn from home, via ATDC/Enabling N-E students, via Neetee

SMART NewZine is a bi-monthly publication of ATDC. All rights reserved. Contents from SMART NewZine may be reproduced with permission of the editor. Feedback/ suggestion/ articles/ advertisements may be sent to: smartnewzine@atdcindia.co.in

Cover Design: IANS Team CONTRIBUTORS: ATDC FIELD AND STATE-LEVEL TEAMS

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

DR. A. SAKTHIVEL, CHAIRMAN, AEPC, ATDC & IAM

Moving on...

eing a country with youth population over 400 million who are looking for productive employment, India faces a tremendous challenge of providing “employable skills” including soft skills through vocational training programs. The apparel sector offers tremendous opportunity in the next 10-12 years with exponential growth of domestic industry and substantial growth of apparel exports to add about 12-15 million people to the workforce and to various tiers of manufacturing, thus bringing opportunities to thousands of youth especially women and disadvantaged sections of society. As the second-largest provider of direct and indirect employment after agriculture, the apparel and textiles sectors which are spread across India have become a key focus area. It is for this reason that the Ministry of Textiles, GOI, mandated ATDC in the Pilot Project period as Component-I organisation to drive the skilling requirements of the apparel sector, as a Nodal Agency, and the organisation took up this challenge with all seriousness and commitment and converted the same to an opportunity in ‘Imparting Skills, Improving Lives’.

In just over three years, since October 2010, ATDC has, under the Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS) of the Ministry of Textiles, enrolled about 1,00,000 candidates at its over 180 nationwide ATDC Hubs and SMART Centres/Spokes/Skill Camps. More importantly, the step helped to a significant extent to bridge the skill gap in the apparel sector in an inclusive manner. ATDC’s wage employment training helped in alleviating poverty in many pockets but also assured regular supply of skilled workforce to the apparel units. ATDC took the important initiative of setting up Training of Trainers (TOT) Academies, in Gurgaon (Delhi/NCR), Chhindwara (MP) and Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala). Over 805 Trainers have been trained at the TOT Academies which certainly helped to improve quality of training and delivery in the field. In addition to training programs there were also initiatives to improve productivity, efficiency parameters of the industry like: setting-up of ATDC-JUKI Tech Innovation Centre, ATDC-JUKI Applied Research Fellowships, ‘Textile Testing Labs’ at major centres, etc. ATDC also recently set up India’s first-ever Product Speciality (Knitwear) Training Centre at ATDC Faridabad. The Product Speciality Training Centres will play a pivotal role in catalysing the apparel industry to diversify the product basket to include knitwear, denim, outerwear, lingerie, etc. ATDC has also initiated overseas partnerships with leading training institutes in Japan, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, UK and Australia and efforts are now on to have more such linkages especially for upgradation of pedagogy and learner-evaluation, etc. ATDC also championed the cause of Contemporary Standardised Curricula for Fashion & Garment industries and to align the same with NCVT (DGE&T)/AICTE which open up not only funding support but also proper certification and lateral / vertical mobility to the deserving candidates. In the ongoing 12th Five Year Plan, ATDCs have set ambitious target of skilling 250,000 people through about 250 Centres across India. And I have no doubt that not only will ATDC achieve this target, but surpass it, as it has proved so far. As I demit office of Chairman, AEPC, ATDC and IAM soon, it gives me great pleasure in congratulating the “TEAM ATDC” for their sincere efforts; my special appreciation to Dr. Darlie O. Koshy, DG & CEO, ATDC & IAM for his key role; while thanking the ATDC BOG members, the MoT for the wholehearted support and all other stakeholders for working with ATDC in making “Upskilling apparel sector” a worthy cause for Apparel Industry and to our people in many rural/semi urban areas of the country.

in focus

Thrust on Product Speciality

in focus

Students during a training session at the Knitwear Speciality Training Centre at ATDC SMART Bhawan in Faridabad.

There is a story that Sanjay Lalbhai, Chairman & Managing Director of Arvind Mills, likes to narrate. It dates back to the mid-1980s when he took charge of the family business that had been in operation since 1931. It was a time when powerlooms were becoming competitive and posing a threat to composite textile units like Arvind Mills. Mr. Lalbhai needed a product that would set him apart from the powerlooms. He thought of denim. It was a risky thought, as there were no machines to manufacture denim in India in those days. Some innovation and a little luck saw his brand of denim take off. That led to Arvind Mills setting up its first denim factory in 1986 — a small one with a capacity of just three million metres a year. A decade later, he was producing 100 million metres annually. Today, Arvind Mills is among the biggest manufacturers of denim in the world, supplying not only domestic brands such as Flying Machine, Newport and Excalibur, but also global names like Arrow, Lee, Wrangler and Tommy Hilfiger.

lthough he did not call it by that name back in the 1980s, what Sanjay Lalbhai did in the face of challenging times would be described as “product specialisation” in the context of today’s apparel sector. Indeed, the future growth of the apparel sector in India, especially of its exports, will be determined by the extent of product specialisation adopted by manufacturers. Though it was an early starter, the Indian apparel sector lost ground internationally to countries like China and even smaller neighbours such as Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. One reason was that we delayed adopting the latest technologies, as our manufacturers — many of them SMEs — were not in a position to invest the capital required to acquire and deploy state-of-the-art machines. The new technologies that India’s rivals adopted helped them to make vast improvements in quality, even as costs were kept under check, making them competitive in the global market.

A second, and equally important, reason was that we continued to stick to our strength — woven garments — at a time the world was moving to more specialised products, such as knitwear. Product specialisation has, in fact, become the buzzword of the global apparel market, and Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have shown greater dexterity in changing with the times. Sri Lanka, for instance, has created a niche for itself in a highly specialised segment such as lingerie, while other rivals have sought to focus on areas such as trousers, sports wear, jackets, winter wear, or army wear. India, however, has been a slow starter on this front. As Mr. Jagdish Hinduja, Chairman, Gokaldas Images, a leading Bangalore-based manufacturer of casual wear, sportswear, jeanswear, tailored clothing and intimatewear, puts it: “Only in recent times have we seen a few companies focusing on specialisation. This is because competition is on the rise, and it is competition that drives specialisation.” (See interview on page 8) WHY SPECIALISATION? There are, according to Mr. Hinduja, three broad advantages of product specialisation in apparel manufacturing: n It leads to efficiency. For example, when the tailors sew only one kind of product, they develop a knack for completing their work in the most efficient manner, leading to a rise in productivity and cut in costs. In short, providing a competitive edge. n It leads to product development. Those who specialise in a product understand its nuances better and are able to bring in refinements, thereby improving the product. n Specialists are in a better position to rise up the customer satisfaction index as they develop a better understanding of the end-users’ needs. “The advantages are self-evident,” notes Dr. A. Sakhtivel, Chairman, AEPC, ATDC & IAM. “And these are what will give manufacturers an advantage in the global export market. If India wants to improve on its 3 percent share in the international apparel market (compared to over 30 percent for China and 5 percent for Bangladesh) we have to adopt

in focus

Lanka & lingerie... hat is Sri Lanka’s best kept secret? Answer: Victoria’s Secret. Few outside the apparel world know that global lingerie brand leader Victoria’s Secret procures about a third of its sourcing volumes of lingerie and sleepwear from Sri Lanka.With modern manufacturing plants and exemplary labour, safety and environment practices, two apparel giants — MAS Holdings and Brandix — are the leading suppliers for Victoria’s Secret in the country. Behind this success lies a focus on product speciality — identifying a niche product, setting up state-of-the-art facilities, mastering the manufacturing process, and dominating the market. And, of course, investment in global best practices. MAS, which supplies practically all top international brands, has launched its own brand, Amanté — a premium collection of international-standard lingerie for women — in India in 2007. “With the launch of Amanté, we have fulfilled an ambition that MAS had for a very long period, which is to create our very own brand that will reflect our expertise and experience in the industry,” Ajay Amalean, Director, MAS Holdings and Amanté, was quoted as saying recently in the media. Employing over 40,000 associates across 38 manufacturing locations in Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh, the Brandix Lingerie cluster has been engaged in the manufacture of fashion lingerie for both the European and US markets since 1999.Today, with its three stateof-the-art facilities backed by a highly skilled workforce with vast experience in lingerie manufacture, its product competency and portfolio include bras, briefs and swimwear for leading global lingerie brands.

LESSONS FOR INDIA The lingerie market in India is still in its infant stage and, till recent times, the accessibility of high quality intimate apparel was limited to irregular or grey imports sold under the counter. There is a great potential to be tapped if approached in an organised manner with a proper set-up. Our manufacturers can learn from the experience of MAS and Brandix.

Hon’ble Union Textiles Minister Dr. K.S. Rao launched the ATDC SMART Bhawan and the Knitwear Speciality Training Centre in Faridabad on September 26. Ms. Zohra Chatterji, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, released the trainers’ manual and trainers’ handbook on the occasion. product specialisation in a focused manner. There is no other way.” This realisation has dawned on the domestic industry as well, and it is now gearing up to take on the challenge. “India must broaden its focus from the current summer ladies wear to start producing speciality products like jackets, women's wear, winter wear, sport wear and industrial workwear,” says Mr. G.S. Madan, Managing Director of the Faridabad-based Madan Trading. Adds Mr. Siddharth Kukreja, Chief Executive Officer, Super Fashion: “The competitive edge for India lies in exporting valued-added products, taking advantage of the vast pool of human resource that the country has.” Mr. Kukreja is right. India does have the human resource to create and export value-added specialised products that can match the best in the world. The question, however, is: Do our human resources have the requisite skills?

ATDC’S ROLE This is where ATDC steps in. As the second-largest provider of direct employment after agriculture, the apparel and textiles sectors have been recognised as a focus area and, in late 2010, the Ministry of Textiles (MoT), GOI, chose ATDC as the nodal agency under Component I to ensure that the skilling requirements of the apparel sector are met. ATDC had, under the Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS), enrolled about 1,00,000 people at its 185 nationwide SMART Centres till November 30, 2013 — well above the target set by MoT. “The emergence of ATDC as the largest vocational training provider for apparel sector, contributing over 50 percent of the MOT’s total skilling target, has been a significant landmark in the National Skill Mission of the country and the effort has received widespread acclaim from MOT, other government agencies, the Planning Commission and all stakeholders,” noted Mr. Hari Kapoor, Vice Chairman of ATDC.

“ATDC-trained employees have been working with us and we have found them to be very good. Many ATDC-trained candidates who have cut their teeth in our company have become entrepreneurs themselves. Some have set up their own retail units. While some have joined buying houses that oﬀer lucrative salaries, others have utilised their skills in lace-making” — G.S. Madan, MD, Madan Trading

in focus

“Our experience with ATDC-trained students has been very good. We prefer to hire candidates from ATDC as we ﬁnd them to be more competent than others” — Siddharth Kukreja, CEO, Super Fashion

“ATDC’s vocational training institutes and SMART centres have now developed the capacity to train 40,000-45,000 candidates every year,” informs Mr. Kapoor, also highlighting the fact that the organisation has been taking care of the backend as well, by setting up three Training of Trainers’ (TOT) Academies that ensure that the skilling targets do not slip up due to inadequate training staff. “But now we need to go a step ahead and cater to emerging demand for better skilled and informed workforce, thus not only being driven by industry but also driving it,” says Dr. Darlie O. Koshy, DG and CEO of ATDC and the Institute of Apparel Management (IAM), elaborating on the latest initiative of ATDC: Product Speciality Training Centres, the first of which was set up at the Faridabad ATDC for Knitwear in September this year. “The over-arching idea is that Product Speciality Training Centres will play a pivotal role in building and upgrading the skilled labour force for different product categories like knitwear, structured garments, lingerie, etc., so as to improve efficiency levels,” says Dr. Koshy.

These centres will thus help industry meet the demand for specially-trained staff. “Intensive training programmes will be conducted by renowned experts from India and overseas at these Centres,” he adds. Faridabad has been chosen because it is a growing knitwear hub, the speciality product that is rapidly emerging as a significant chunk of Indian apparel exports. “We will, however, expand our reach in the near future. We will soon have Product Speciality Training Centres for lingerie, workwear and other specialised products, maybe setting these up close to clusters where such products are being manufactured so as to provide skilled manpower to industry right at their doorstep,” says Dr. Darlie Koshy. PREPARING THE GROUND As a skilling agency, it is not enough, however, to merely set up such centres. ATDC has simultaneously taken steps to develop a Trainers’ Manual and Trainees’ Handbook for knitwear skilling. A brand new curricula has also been developed and released, based on NCVT-approved Knitwear Courses,

which will set the benchmark for creating an industry-ready workforce. Industry is already lauding ATDC’s latest initiative and looking forward to trained manpower that will help it focus on product speciality and carve for itself a larger chunk of the export market. Says Mr. Hinduja of Gokaldas Images: “The industry needs people in both woven and knitwear production segments. So the initiative of ATDC — which has so far mostly concentrated on woven apparel manufacturing — in training people in knitwear manufacture is definitely a welcome step.” Adds Mr. Kukreja of Super Fashion: “We need a lot of operators, trainers and checkers. It would also be of great help if ATDC can provide workers skilled in embroidery, needle work and art work in different product categories.” And Mr. Madan of Madan Trading can only concur: “In my view, providing knowledge and imparting skills is the biggest service that one can provide to human beings. ATDC’s initiatives in this noble exercise are therefore commendable. Such Speciality Product Training Centres in more cities will be of great help to the industry.”

Faridabad: Emerging Knitwear Hub n n n n n

n n n

Dr. Darlie O. Koshy, DG & CEO, ATDC & IAM, at the launch of ATDC SMART Bhawan, Faridabad.

Number of apparel exporters: 50 Number of fabric processing units: 30 Leading apparel export units: a) Large-sized units: Shahi Exports, SPL Ltd., Gupta Exim, Dhruv Global, Madan Trading Corporation, Pee Empro, Shivalik Global Ltd. b) Medium-sized units: Super Fashions, Sonia Textiles, Shyam Textiles, Vimani Overseas, M.M. Exports, Scorpio Apparels Ltd., Oswal Global, Sameera Apparels, L.M. Sagar Exports, Birla VXL, Flori Creation, Lakhani Exports. Export turnover: Approximately `3,000 crore. Workforce: Approximately 60,000 (direct & indirect) Major Products: Most factories have integrated manufacturing facilities for Knitted Garments, Sweaters & Woven Fashion Garments. Major Markets: The U.S., Europe, South America, etc.

in focus

Interview: Jagadish N. Hinduja, Chairman, Gokaldas Images Pvt. Ltd.

‘It is competition that drives specialisation’ There is trend globally where countries are focusing on product speciality — like knitwear, lingerie or denim — to improve market share. Where does India stand from the perspective of the “Product-Market Basket”? There are two aspects to speciality; one is product-based and the other is customer-based. Product-based speciality may refer to those manufacturers who focus on producing one group of products like shirts, T-shirts, jeans, trousers, etc. On the other hand, some manufacturers cater to specialised brands. In the case of manufacturers producing for jeanswear brands, they not only produce jeans and denim products, but also produce T-shirts, shirts, jackets, and all types of products that jeanswear companies buy. Both types of specialisation are relevant to competitiveness and to buyer satisfaction. In India, specialisation has just begun to take roots. Only recently we see a few companies focusing on specialisation.This is because competition is on the rise and it is competition that drives specialisation. So we can say that India has started considering specialisation only recently. In your opinion, what are the special products India should focus on? Which products are Indian manufacturers most suited to produce? Among the 53 major categories in garments, Indian exports are currently focused on only 11-12 major products and most of them are cotton-based. So there is an urgent need to expand our product categories for exports. One way to do this is to produce the same products in different fabrics wherever feasi-

ble. For example, instead of only doing cottonbased products, we can also do synthetic-based products and so on. Secondly, India can take up product categories which align well to its strengths like ladies nightwear and loungewear. Among children wear, Indian manufacturers would do well in the girls wear products. Lingerie is a highly-specialised market. Sri Lanka has cut a niche for itself in this segment over a long period of time. Specialisation also needs a lot of investment, availability of the right fabrics and fibres and the necessary technology. Moreover, to start special products, the industry also needs a pathbreaker who musters courage to tread toward a new horizon. Once someone starts something new, more companies get attracted to it and ultimately they help develop the product and also bring in the required investment. Is the current policy framework of the government an enabler that helps manufacturers to focus on speciality products? If not, what more does the government need to do to encourage the thrust towards product speciality?

I don't think the government has a major role in this regard. It is up to the entrepreneurs to develop a product. However, the government can help the industry by making sure that the raw materials that it requires can be easily imported. The duty of raw materials should be lower than the duty for finished products. Similarly, it should also step in to ease the import of technical know-how. Currently, foreign technicians working in India have to pay 35 percent tax on their income. This needs to be waived off. For new clusters to come up, the requisite facilities like water supply, effluent treatment facilities, etc., should be easily available. What in your opinion is required for more such speciality manufacturing clusters to be developed? Growth of clusters cannot be programmed. Entrepreneurs must take the initiative. But to encourage new products to come up, the Government may consider giving incentives for exporting new products just like they have been giving incentives for developing new markets. As manufacturers turn to product speciality, do you think they have the trained workforce needed for production of such products? Both in terms of numbers as well as expertise required? Sewing does not need much speciality. On-job training may be enough. However, for new products, speciality is required for ancillary services like washing, embroidery, etc. ATDC recently set up a Speciality Product Training Centre at ATDC SMART in Faridabad that is training people, especially in the manufacture of knitwear. Do you believe there is a need for more such speciality product training centres? The industry needs people in both the woven and knitwear production segments. So the initiative of ATDC — which has, so far, mostly concentrated on woven garment manufacturing — in training people in knitwear manufacture is definitely a welcome step.

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Sanjay Lalbhai, Chairman & Managing Director, Arvind Mills (Edited excerpts from his interview with the IAM-FLR team)

‘It’s time to tap the potential of denim’ W

hat we learned from our experience of manufacturing denim at a time when there was no one else producing it in India was that, unless you think out of the box, and unless you take risks, you cannot come out of a difficult situation. Because of our success with denim, we could reposition the textile sector as a sunshine industry. At present, the annual global consumption of denim is 4.5 billion metres, and it is growing at 3-4 percent a year. Europe consumes 700-800 million, while America consumes almost a billlion metres. India currently consumes 400 million metres of denim. It is growing rapidly and will become a billion-metre industry in the next six to seven years. All that growth, barring the top brands, has to come from India. There might arise a situation where Indian fabrics get converted in Bangladesh and come back without duty, and servicing of that mid-priced, large-volume market may arise. But all the premium products, the products requiring faster lead-time, has to happen in India. Even for ex-

ports, the high-valued, more differentiated products with lower lead-times and fast turn-around will all happen in India. The mass business may move for a considerable period of time to Bangladesh because the FTA has been signed.That is not to say that the Indian denim industry will not grow. It will grow because there is a huge market here. All the large retailers and brands that we are dealing with in Europe and America also want to de-risk. For example, 60 percent of the denim is coming from China, but China is very expensive. So it is not

about losing business from Bangladesh, but getting business from China. In China, the wages are likely to touch $1,000 in the next five years, or by 2020. Indian wages will then be at $200. So we will have a huge arbitrage vis-a-vis China. China has 40 percent marketshare in world textile trade. Even if it loses 10 percent, we are talking of tremendous volumes. This is huge opportunity to capture marketshare that the leader is vacating. What is more, we are yet to tap the huge South-east Asian market.“

Need to pull up socks, India! Country

%Share-Apparel (approx.)

Textile & Apparel Industry

India

3.19%

US$ 31 Billon

Blouses/Womens Shirts (Woven, Knitted); T-Shirts; Men’s Bottom Wear (Trousers/Shorts/Denims), Dresses; Men’s Shirts (Woven, Knitted), Knitted Shirts; Baby Garments

Bangladesh

4.97%

US $ 19 Billion

T-Shirts; Men’s Bottom wear (Trousers/Shorts/Denims); Women’s Bottom wear; Outerwear; Lingerie

Pakistan

1.01%

US $ 1 Billion

Men’s Bottom Wear (Trousers/Shorts/Denims); Women’s Bottom Wear; Lingerie, T-shirts; Outerwear

Sri Lanka

1.00%

US $ 3 Billon

Lingerie, Women’s Bottom Wear; Men’s Bottom Wear; T-Shirts; Outerwear

Total South Asia

10.17%

Major Apparel Export Items

(Currently South Asian countries have reasonably high share in Yarn and Fibre however there is still plenty of scope in increasing share in apparel & fabric exports)

in focus

The ATDC Edge

fter completing a course on cutting and sewing from ITI, Anand Sudarshan was not sure of landing a job in the apparel industry. So, when he heard of Speciality Product Training Centre at ATDC in Faridabad, he signed up for the two-month course in knitwear. “The ITI course focused more on theory and didn't provide much exposure to the practical aspects of the trade. At ATDC, I got trained on many new machines. I learnt to operate machines like over-lock machine, flat-lock machine, single-needle machine, etc.,” says Sudarshan. And as luck would have it, soon

after completing his course, Sudarshan found placement as a tailor at Super Fashion, one of the leading export houses in Faridabad. “As I am familiar with all the machines used at Super Fashion, I am very excited about starting and showcasing my skills,” says the visibly elated ATDC student. He is not alone at Super Fashion. He is being joined by Pinki, a native of Faridabad, who also underwent training in the same centre with Sudarshan. And Super Fashion expressed an interest in hiring five more candidates from the same batch!

Both industry and ATDC have a long way to go. As Mr. Hinduja points out rather pertinently, there are some 30 lakh product categories in garments. And Indian exports currently focused on only a dozen or so major products, most of them are cotton-based. So there is an urgent need to expand the product categories. Like Mr. Lalbhai did in the 1980s, it is up to the industry to take the initiative and focus on product specialisation, believe most exporters, though they do seek an enabling environment from the Central government as the investments required for this are large and cannot typically be undertaken by SMEs. As for the manpower required to achieve a greater expansion of product categories, ATDC has already made the first move with its Knitwear Speciality Training Centre. And more are on the cards.

A platform for the ATDC students to exhibit acquired Skills and Knowledge & an opportunity for ATDC Vocational Institutes/ Centres/ Skill Camps to showcase through Case studies, achievements and highlights of the ATDC Skill Movement in their region

ADVANTAGE STUDENTS & ALUMNI Showcase entrepreneurial skills, open new vistas, share your learning, meet the Industry, rise from the margins, join mainstream

ADVANTAGE ATDC VOCATIONAL INSTITUTES | CENTRES | SKILL CAMPS Showcase Case-studies –‘Imparting Skills, Improving Lives’, Display your achievements, Highlight your culture, Learn best practices

ts, e Exper Hear th dustry meet In and be a lders Stakeho he Cultural t part of on Feb 20, gon Skillwa e ATDC Skill th nes 2014 at e sideli h t n o e Conclav ar ki Hunkar’ ‘H f o un

ATDC 22 STATES, 85 CITIES, 185 CENTRES/SKILL CAMPS AND GROWING... February 20-21, 2014 Exhibition Halls A, B & C, Apparel House, Sector-44, Gurgaon, Haryana-122003

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SMART trainees at ATDC Ludhiana Centre and (below), ATDCtrained people working in a manufacturing unit in Punjab.

hen in Punjab, expect something uniquely different from rest of the country — magnificent mustard fields as far as you can pan your eyes, finger-licking cuisine that has plenty to satiate your palate till you drop, high-end luxury cars that can make you go vrooooom, vibrant people donning exotic and colourful dresses.... ...and Ludhiana — India’s Manchester that has put Indian knitwear on the global apparel and textiles map. When ATDC skill mission entered Punjab eight years ago, there was one apprehension – to live up to the state’s expectation where everything is done in a big, bang way. But since the game is a bit

different in skilling where patience is the sole virtue and persistent efforts give way to success, ATDC began slowly, but steadily. It has paid off handsomely. There has always been scarcity of shop-floor workers, supervisors, merchandisers and other official/technical staff in 2,000 well-recognised apparel manufacturing units and over 5,000 micro and small apparel manufacturing units in Ludhiana. The industry currently has a skill base of over three lakh workers but with more national and international players setting up manufacturing units here, it needs more trained hands and ATDC, being the leading skill provider in the apparel sector, chipped in. With its expanding network across Punjab, and new Centres/Skill Camps being opened, like the one at Khuni

Majra recently, ATDC is set to change the skillscape of the state. Today, the ATDC-SMART Centres/ Skill Camps have trained over 2,200 candidates and successfully placed over 1,000 candidates in various apparel domestic and export oriented manufacturing units like Eveline International, Duke Fashion, Nahar Spinning Mills (Monte Carlo), Suvidhi Cotsyn, Nagesh Industries, Superfine Knitters, Femina Knitfab, Stanley Industries, Space Fashion, Knitwell Industries, Ankita Impex, York Exports and more — from shop-floor level to supervisors/merchandisers. With ATDC Ludhiana as the main hub, ATDC Skill Camps at Dhuri, Sunam, Faridkot and Khuni Majra – along with

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AT A GLANCE

Popular courses:

Centres/Skill Camps: 6 (one in Himachal) Students trained: Over 2,200 Students placed: Over 1,000

Apparel Manufacturing

Technology (Knits-Foundation and Advanced); Apparel Production Supervision and Quality Control; Apparel Pattern Making & CAD; and Apparel Export Merchandising (AEM)

Ghumarwin in nearby Himachal Pradesh — ATDC trained people are working in all major garment units. “We have had a great experience with ATDC-trained candidates so far. They are fast learners, hard working and having sound knowledge related to their work. ATDC is doing a great job by filling the demand-supply gap by providing trained workforce for manufacturing units, especially Knitwear, in Ludhiana,” says Mr. Puneet Jain, General Manager, Nahar Industries (Monte Carlo). Mr. Jain is happy to know that with ATDC Product Speciality Training Centres (knitwear), Textiles Testing Labs and standardised curricula, ATDC is all set to change the apparel skill arena. “Yes, with immediate effect,” replies back Mr. Ajit Lakra, LMC member, ATDC Ludhiana when asked about the need for such knitwear Speciality Training Centres. “Although the state government has introduced many schemes to match latest technologies with right skill sets but there is an urgent need between ATDC, state agencies

and the industry to cooperate further to get maximum output,” says Mr. Lakra. “Setting of Product Speciality Centres, along with NCVT-approved standardised curricula, would help the industry overcome the shortage of specialised workforce. It would enhance expertise of a person which, in turn, would improve overall growth of industry,” adds Mr Jain. Moreover, Ludhiana garment units have to constantly upgrade themselves to beat trends and tackle foreign threats with cheap apparel products like from China, Bangladesh and Indonesia. Shifting to world-class machinery, upgrading with latest technology, coupled with trained workforce from ATDC, can help them fight back, feel many exporters. Product speciality is the future of apparel. In Punjab, there is need for product diversification and skill development in the sector which at present lacks supply of skilled hands. ATDC is also launching Textile Testing Labs pan-India, including Punjab, which would serve youth while extending services to the apparel cluster

in the state in the form of ‘industry-ready workforce.’ With upcoming Skill Camps in Bathinda, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Gurdaspur are 12 Skill Camps planned in nearby Himachal Pradesh, ATDC is confident to beat the demand blues. What do exporters want from the government? “In order to employ more trained people, the state government should set up more training institutes like ATDC. Labour laws should be relaxed. Incentive-based policies should be introduced in order to raise the bar to enhance efficiency. Like Indonesia, machines should be replaced after 20 years as these not only consume more energy but also hamper production,” stresses Mr. Jain. “ATDC can definitely bridge the demand-supply gap by expanding training footsteps,” exults Mr. Lakra. As far as skilling goes, ATDC skill mission can never fail youth and women in Punjab, and beyond, who are willing to knit their dreams for a better future — thus catapulting the state into the big apparel league.

The state government is committed to make the workforce aware of future prospects and employment opportunities in the apparel and textiles sector and fulﬁll the demand-supply gap of skilled workforce.

Although the state government has introduced many schemes to match latest technologies with right skill sets but there is an urgent need between ATDC, state agencies and the industry to cooperate further to get maximum output.

We have had a great experience with ATDC-trained candidates so far. ATDC has immensely done a great job in this ﬁeld by ﬁlling the demand-supply gap, providing trained workforce for manufacturing units, especially knitwear, in Ludhiana.

— Mr. Ajit Lakra, ATDC LMC member, Punjab

—Mr. Puneet Jain, GM, Nahar Industries (Monte Carlo)

— Mr. K.J.S. Cheema, Secretary, Department of Employment Generation & Training, Govt of Punjab

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NEW INITIATIVES

TEXTILES TESTING LABS: A NEW CHAPTER OPENS

dding another feather to its cap, ATDC has decided to set up 10 Textile Testing Laboratories at select ATDC Vocational Institutes. To imbibe the operational know-how and understand various concepts related to textile testing, 16 ATDC faculty members participated in a three-day training on ‘Principles of Textile Testing’ conducted by ATDC TOT Academy, in collaboration with M/s SGS India Pvt. Ltd., in Udyog Vihar, Gurgaon, recently. The three-day event included theory and practical sessions on various testing subjects such as ‘Fiber Analysis’ (both physical and chemical tests), pH value test, fabric constructions, colour fastness assessment in terms of washing, rubbing, dry cleaning, sunlight and perspiration, dimensional stability, shrinkage, yarn count, yarn twist, GSM, tensile

strength, tearing strength, bursting strength, seam strength and button attachment strength. The training instilled in ATDC faculty members a good understanding of subjects like colourfastness testing, colour matching cabinet, high-resolution microscopic view of different kind of fibres, operational functions of advanced machines like Xenotest, concept of BW in determination of colourfastness to light and functioning of control panel of computerised machines. Dr. Darlie O. Koshy, DG & CEO, ATDC & IAM, encouraged the participants by sharing his views and distributing certificates. In the first phase, ATDC Centres in Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Jaipur, Noida, Faridabad, Bangalore, Thiruvananthapuram, Indore, Chhindwara and Tirupur would have these Textiles Testing Labs.

ATDC-JUKI TECH Innovation & Industry Hub: A growth driver I n an another move to bridge the gap between the apparel industry’s awareness about new technologies being brought to India by JUKI, an Indian delegation led by Dr. Kavuru Sambasiva Rao, Hon’ble Union Minister of Textiles, GOI, initiated an MoU with JUKI Corporation in Tokyo, Japan, on November 25. A key MoU between ATDC and JUKI Corporation to set up an ATDC-JUKI TECH Innovation and Industry Hub (ATDC-JUKI TIIH) at ATDC-Bangalore, Karnataka, was signed Dr. Darlie O. Koshy, DG & CEO, ATDC & IAM and Mr. Toshiyuki Yamanaka, Managing Director, Juki India Pvt. Ltd. in presence of Minister Dr. Rao and other delegation members. Others who present at the MoU-

signing ceremony were Ms. Monika Garg, Joint Secretary (Exports), MoT, GoI; Mr. Balvinder Kumar, Development Commissioner (Handlooms); Mr. Karthikeya Danda, Director (Labs) Textiles Committee from the Indian delegation; Mr. Shinji Yamaguchi, Senior Managing Officer, Juki Corporation; Mr. Katsumi Nihei, Corporate Officer, Industrial Sewing Machine Business Unit, Juki Corporation; and Mr. Toshiyuki Yamanaka, Managing Director, Juki India Pvt. Ltd. from Juki Corporation, Japan. ATDC-JUKI TECH Innovation and Industry Hub proposed in Benguluru would serve as a bridge of confluence between apparel industry, JUKI experts and ATDC knowledge resources — exploring the scope of conducting industry oriented-training effectively.

Your date with Adobe training

ith an aim to assist ATDC faculty members with computer-aided design techniques and enhance digital designing skills, ATDC Chhindwara TOT Academy organised a three-day training session on Adobe software at its campus from September 18-20. Atul Jaiswa, an expert from Framebox Institute, Indore, imparted training to participants on Adobe softwares. Ravindra Singh Rajput, MD, Dolphin Apparels, Chandrashekhar Chinnaswami, General

Manager, M/s. Shahi Export, Chhindwara and Sankoch Katre, Centre Head, FDDI and ATDC LMC member, distributed certificates to participants.

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SKILL EXPANSION

W. Bengal takes a skill turn

hen ATDC talks about skilling, people living at the margins take the centre-stage as it believes in inclusive growth that can only be achieved by connecting people from all strata to the mainstream. With this objective in mind, ATDC today has a bouquet of job-oriented training courses of varied time-periods, including SMART Sewing Machine Operator (Basic and Advanced) across its Centres/Skill Camps in West Bengal. On October 23, Shri Shanti Ram Mahato, Minister-in-Charge, Department of Self-Help Group & Self-Employment, Govt. of West Bengal, inaugurated SMART Sewing Machine Operator (Basic and Advanced) training programme — sponsored by Society for Self-Employment of Unemployed Youth, West Bengal — at ATDC’s Salt Lake Centre. “This ATDC-SMART initiative would help youth, especially women, in the state to uplift their social status by means of selfemployment and direct jobs — thus leading an independent life in a short span of time,” said Shri Mahato. “Today, newer technologies have swept the skilling movement. ATDC realised this well in time and with stateof-the-art machines and standardised curricula, it is well poised to train our youth in right direction,” he added. Anil Buchasia, ATDC LMC member,

West Bengal and Director, M/s Amrit Exports Pvt. Ltd., said with such initiatives, not only state’s youth would have opportunities to beat job blues but the apparel sector in the state would also get a much-needed trained workforce. In an earlier event, Sudip Ghosh, Director, Directorate of Textiles, Govt. of West Bengal, inaugurated SMART training programmes to be conducted at various Centres/Skill Camps in the state. Nearly 584 candidates, sponsored by Directorate of Textiles, Govt. of West Bengal, were selected for SMART courses like SOB, SQC, SSO and SMT, etc. Thanking ATDC for its skill initiatives in the state, Ghosh interacted with students and advised them to avail maximum benefits from such job-oriented programmes. Ghosh, accompanied by Atanu Banerjee, Deputy Director, Directorate of Textiles, also inspected ATDC

facilities and were overwhelmed by the state-of-the-art infrastructure and qualified faculty resources. Earlier, ATDC, along with the National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation (NBCFDC), Govt of India, West Bengal Backward Classes Development and Finance Corporation (WBBBCDFC) and West Bengal Minorities Development Corporation (WBMDFC), initiated training in SMART Operator Basic (SOB) programme across West Bengal. 143 candidates have been selected in the first phase. The programme was launched at ATDC’s Salt Lake Campus in the presence of Santanu Saha, Managing Director, WBBBCDFC and Md. Motaleb Ali Sardar, Managing Director, WBMDFC. With such initiatives, ATDC-SMART is set to take skilling in West Bengal to a new zenith.

SSO TRAINING AT MUCHI BAZAR

n an another skill move by ATDC to empower the downtrodden, ATDCSMART Skill Camp at Muchi Bazar in Ultadanga, Kolkata, recently launched ATDC-SMART Surface Ornamentation (SSO) programme for youth and women. The programme was inaugurated by Ms. Birati Dutta, Councillor, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC). The KMC sponsored 49 candidates for SSO training that included free tool-kits. The stipend would be given after successfully completing the course.

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SKILL EXPANSION

PETTAH JOINS SKILL BANDWAGON

ousing its training expertise in a 300-year-old church at scenic Pettah in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, ATDC-SMART Skill Camp has begun its journey to empower youth and women alike. Vicar General Mon. Eugine Pereira inaugurated the Skill Camp on October 18, where first batch of candidates enrolled in two-month Sewing Machine Operator Programme (Basic) started training. Sixty selected candidates would be trained in two batches.

Skill booster for Khuni Majra

huni Majra, a village in Mohali, is strategically placed from the apparel sector’s point of view. There is a dire need for skilled hands and Khuni Majra’s location provides a unique opportunity for ATDC to train unemployed youth and women from the area and bridge the demand-supply gap in the state. With this in mind, ATDC, in collaboration with state’s Employment Generation and Training Department, inaugurated SMART Centre in Khuni Majra on October 21. Shri Ajit Singh Kohar, State Minister for Transportation and Employment Generation and Training Department, Punjab inaugurated the Centre in the presence of Mr. Ujjagar Singh Badali, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader; Mr. K.J.S. Cheema IAS, Special Principal

Secretary to Chief Minister; Shri Hari Kapoor, VC, ATDC; and Dr. Darlie O. Koshy, DG & CEO, ATDC & IAM. To begin with, ATDC-SMART Centre would impart training to students, sponsored by the state government, in SMART Industrial Sewing Machine Operator (Basic and Advance), SMART Finishers and Packers, Smart Quality Checker and SMART Surface Ornamentation courses.

Maximum skilling impact for Mal The function was presided over by Rev. Fr. Anto Dickson (Parish Priest, Pettah) and attended by Ms. Sarojam (Ward Councilor), Mr. Benanason D’Silva (President, Latin catholic Service Society) and Fr. Anoop, in the presence of other dignitaries. Hailing the ATDC’s skill development initiatives across the country, Mon. Pereira welcomed the decision to start SMART Skill Camp at Pettah. Rev. Dickson congratulated ATDC for providing advanced skill training to the people, especially women.

ny kind of skill training, if percolated down to people occupying lowest rungs of the social ladder, gives back maximum results. At Malbazar, also known as Mal, in Jalpaiguri district of North Bengal, ATDC

empowered the State Urban Development Agency (SUDA) beneficiaries — falling in Below Poverty Line (BPL) category — by conducting SMART Operator Advance (SOA) training programme for them. The event, inaugurated by Shri Supratim Sarkar, Chairman, Mal Municipality, was attended by Saraswati Banik, Secretary, CDS (Community Development Society), Harendra Nath Ghosh, Councilor (Word No. 8); Rina Goswami, CDS member; Subhashis Das, Superintendent, ATDC Jalpaiguri; and other dignitaries.

Skilling has a new address, in Ratlam T

he apparel and textiles sector in Madhya Pradesh is abuzz with several mega textiles parks coming up in the state. A traditional textiles hub, Ratlam too is going to witness a surge in establishment of apparel manufacturing units as Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) is all set to change the

skills landscape of the state. Keeping this in mind, ATDC inaugurated its SMART Centre at Kasturba Nagar in Ratlam recently. Chief Guest Shri Paras Saklecha, MLA, inaugurated the Centre attended by over 1,200 students. Shri Saklecha said that women can become economically independent via skill de-

velopment and ATDC is showing the way. Later, a guided tour of ATDC Ratlam was organised for those present.

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VISITS/CERTIFICATE DISTRIBUTION

Vastra 2013: ATDC shines A

TDC, via its bouquet of job-oriented vocational training programmes, has so far trained over 12,000 candidates in Rajasthan, with the support of Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation (RIICO), Government of Rajasthan — thus being the flagbearer of skilling in the apparel sector. These were the words of Shri Rajendra Pareek, State Industries Minister, while inaugurating the second International Textile & Apparel Fair in Jaipur from October 3-6. Later, Shri Pareek visited ATDC stall. Shri Lalit Thakral, ATDC LMC member, Noida and ATDC team briefed him about the SMART project in the

state. Shri Pareek was overwhelmed to see garments designed by ATDC students and encouraged them to stay on course to bring ‘employability’ in their lives. Earlier, ATDC also participated in the seminar on ‘Empowering the Knowledge of the Apparel and Textile Industry Personnel’. While giving the presentation, Dr. R.A. Lal, HOD (RP, TOT Academies, ATDC) spoke about ATDC skill initiatives and the futuristic garment products and technologies for the sustainable development of the industry. ATDC is running 16 SMART Centres in the state with the support of RIICO. ATDC has recently opened another SMART Centre at Churu where it plans to train over 1,200 candidates in 201314. The skill journey in Rajasthan is set to grow in leap and bounds.

EMPOWERING SC CANDIDATES The certificate-distribution ceremony for students belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) at ATDC Thiruvananthapuram Centre recently cemented the vision of ATDC to empower people from all sections of the society. Dr. Asha Thomas, Principal Secretary, Department of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes Development Department, Govt. of Kerala, gave certificates to successful SC students sponsored by NSFDC. She was presented a hand-woven sari with mural painting on it done by ATDC students.

Skill echo gets louder E xcellent. Wish I could have had one in my constituency.” This was the entry on the visitor’s book kept at ATDC Chhindwara by Amravati MLA Ms Yashomati Thakur. She was part of the group led by Chhindwara district Congress President Ganga Prasad Tiwari and State Congress Committee Vice President Ram Moorthy Mishra who visited

ATDC Chhindwara Integrated Campus recently. The group was impressed by state-of-the-art infrastructure and world-class training being imparted to students. Truly, Ms Thakur’s wish echoes the mindset of people living at the margins who are yet to come under the skill umbrella put up by the ATDC skill movement. For them, wait has just got shorter.

Warangal gets skill taste

ith an aim to create awareness for unemployed youth, ATDC participated in an exhibition organised by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, GoI, at Mahabubabad in Warangal, Andhra Pradesh, recently. The ATDC stall was an instant hit among youth. Shri Balram Nayak, Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment suggested ATDC to establish a Skill Camp at Mahabubabad soon.

Weaving dreams at ATDC Sausar

oon, a textile park would come between Sausar and Pandhurna, bringing jobs for locals, across the apparel value chain. Keeping this in mind, ATDC, in collaboration with Madhya Pradesh Hastakardha Shilpa Vikas Nigam (Bhopal), organised a counselling session in Sausar. Over 250 people were briefed about ATDC short and long-term courses.

Leading skill awareness n Chhindwara, and beyond, ATDC plans to skill at least one member from a family so that unemployment can be eradicated. To achieve this daunting task, mobilising resources is the key. ATDC Chhindwara recently organised a District School Principals’ meet at Maharani Lakshmi Bai School to create skill awareness among the stakeholders. School principals were in awe watching state-of-the-art facilities and teaching methodologies and motivated by listening to several success stories of ATDC students.

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EMPOWERING YOUTH

New mantra: skilling beyond campus

hen ATDC began its journey in country’s East and North-East, it had a clear agenda: to create a vast pool of skilled workforce for the apparel sector by skilling youth and women in the most backward sections, including Naxal-hit areas. ATDC has gone one-step ahead. To empower women living below the poverty line (BPL), ATDC-Santoshpur Centre in Kolkata went beyond campus training, thus conducting first ever offcampus Sewing Machine Operator training for under-privileged women in collaboration with the State Urban Development Agency (SUDA) at Barasat municipality in North 24 Parganas recently. The training was conducted at Ecoline Exim Pvt. Ltd. under SUDA’s ‘Swarna Jayanti Sahari Rojgar Yozana’. Inaugurated by Sunil Mukherjee, Chairman, Barasat Municipality in the presence of Saurabh Sarogi, MD, Ecoline Exim Pvt. Ltd., Anil Buchasia, ATDC LMC members, and M.N. Pradhan, the session looked forward to train over 100 underprivileged women from rural hinterland. While hailing this ATDC initiative, Barasat Municipality Chairman asked

trainees to be punctual, understand the apparel manufacturing process and get on to build a successful career in the apparel industry. Buchasia stressed that there is no dearth of employment in West Bengal especially in the garment sector but right skills, coupled with right soft skills and attitude, is what ATDC aims to pass on to the candidates belonging to the marginalised sections of the society. This is just the beginning. ATDC, in its mission to spread skill movement Pan-India, has taken the entire skill mission right in the open — at factories and manufacturing units — not leaving any stone unturned to uplift a huge population from the shackles of poverty and joblessness.

Do it like ATDC Imphal!

Connecting SC youth to mainstream

Keeping its date with empowering youth and women in North-East, ATDC Imphal Centre was abuzz with activities at its certificate-distribution ceremony where 40 students, who successfully completed two-month SOB training programme, were awarded certificates. Ms. Memyo, an ATDC LMC member, Imphal, gave away certificates to secondbatch SOB students.

n a move to uplift Scheduled caste candidates and help them join the mainstream, ATDC organised stipend-cum-certificate distribution programmes at its Ahmedabad Skill Camp and ATDC Surat campus for SC beneficiaries. At Surat, Mr. R.M. Jadav (IAS), MD, Gujarat Scheduled Castes Development Corporation (GSCDC) and Mr. Nathubhai Sosa, Director, GSCDC motivated candidates. Some Garment Construction Technique (GCT) trained SC students who showed interest in pursuing oneyear diploma in Fashion Design from ATDC, were encouraged by GSCDC officials.

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CELEBRATIONS ATDC-SURAT

ATDC-KOCHI

Creativity meets

Creative stopovers

patriotism at ATDC Surat

his Independence Day, the orientation programme for a new batch of students enrolled in fashion design course at ATDC Surat, turned patriotic and the atmosphere electric. In the presence of Sadhana Sawaliya, Managing Director, S-24 news channel, Beg Raj Singh, Joint Director, Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Chandrakant, Contractor Secretary, SASMA and leading exporter Nikhil Thakural, ATDC existing students welcomed the freshers by taking creativity to a new level, by showcasing tricoloured dresses made from paper, leaves, popcorn, laces, thermocol, balloons, fabric, peacock feathers, stones and fibre glass, etc. Can’t get eyes off those dresses in the picture above! Well, you are not alone...

Rangolis, songs at ATDC-Gadag

If those mesmerising I-Day dresses from ATDC Surat were not enough, here is another eyecatcher for you — this time from ATDC Kochi. An exhibition at ATDC Kochi Centre was organised to mobilise candidates recently. Students took the opportunity and created handmade products from waste materials that brought life back into them. They used old magazines, bottles, clothes and carry bags to create flower stands, photo frames, flower vase and jewellery — thus giving creativity new wings. See for yourself!

I-Day fervour at ATDC Indore

Fun at ATDC-Hubli

TDC-Indore was not far behind in celebrating India’s 67th Independence Day. The occasion also marked farewell for students of various programmes. During the course of the event, a panel of three judges selected two best singers from students and faculty members, followed by a fun-filled musical chair event.

Vivid colours

t was patriotism flowing from all quarters at ATDC-SMART Gadag Centre in Karnataka on India’s 67th Independence Day. The programme that began with unfurling of the national tricolour, followed by singing of the national anthem, culminated in competitions like rangoli-making and mehandi. Later, the prizes were given to deserving candidates. Truly, an unforgettable experience for ATDC-Gadag students.

he 67th Independence Day celebrations at Vastra Vikas Bhawan at ATDC Chhindwara left the Chief Guest, Mr C. Chandrasekhar, General Manager, Shahi Exports & LMC member, awestruck. Post-flag hoisting ceremony, cultural performances were organised by SMART students.

nother morning but with a difference. In the presence of Ms Manjula Shindhe, DIC industrial extension officer, and other dignitaries, ATDC Hubli Centre celebrated the Independence Day with fun and fervour. After national anthem, cultural activities like rangoli-making and cooking (without flame) competitions kept everyone engaged. Three participants were chosen for awards. Truly, a great moment.

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FESTIVALS

Navratras get a lift, at ATDC Surat

hen in the festival season, go festive. In order to make students accustomed about 'Navratri Accessories Decoration,' ATDC Surat organised a two-day workshop-cum-seminar with Pidilite Industries Ltd. recently. Mr. Anup Mishra from Pidilite sat with ATDC students to create garbi and dandiya with materials like fabric colour, mirror, jacquard-embroidery laces, stones and patch work, etc. The second-day focused on fabricprinting for those with a creative hand with basic demonstration of how to use colours as seasonal/festival requirements. An unforgettable moment!

Teachers’ Day at ATDC Indore

CAN’T MISS THIS CARPET!

nam without Onapookkalam (flower rangoli) is like your favourite dish sans salt. The flower carpet, or ‘Atthakkalam,’ at ATDC Thiruvananthapuram Centre this Onam attracted all. In the presence of Mr. Sasi Sekhar, MD, Texport Industries Ltd, a cultural extravaganza celebrating the spirit of Onam presented a bouquet of programmes. Onapattu, or the traditional Onam songs and Thriuvathira, traditional Kerala dance, made the atmosphere electrifying. Once done with cultural event, a mouth-watering Onam feast ‘Onasadya’ (lunch), cooked by ATDC students and faculty members, was served, leaving everyone asking for more!

TDC-Indore celebrated Teachers’ Day with much enthusiasm. Chief Guest Captain Jaison Thomas addressed the gathering while touching upon the role of teachers in skilling a large pool of people across the spectrum, in-

cluding apparel and textiles sector. Hailing ATDC for expanding reach to the rural areas and its bouquet of vocational courses that cater to everyone, Captain Thomas wished the students good luck.

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‘SPARK 2013’

SPARKLES AT ATDC PATNA

Reaching every doorstep, in Odisha

TDC Bhubaneswar has many reasons to celebrate. Within a short span of six years, over 10,500 youth have been trained via 10 ATDC-SMART Centres/Skill Camps — with 100 percent placement in small, medium and large apparel units. Aptly called the flagbearer of ATDC skill mission in the East, ATDC Bhubaneswar, while celebrating its sixth anniversary — as part of Annual Day celebration 'Spark 2013' — at its premises in the presence of various stakeholders recently, took the pledge to take its skill journey to each and every doorstep across the state. The event began with a certificatedistribution ceremony to successful candidates. Immediately after this,

various competitions were held. One competition that captured everyone's imagination was 'wall painting' exercise where ATDC students decorated the campus walls with ‘bheenth chitra’ work. For Ms. Lopamudra Ghosh, Principal, ATDC Bhubaneswar, it was a dream come true. “We had been able to expand our network from one to 10 in Orissa over a period of six years. I am thankful to state government for their support,” she told the gathering. The ceremony was followed by a unique exhibition where garments stitched by ATDC students won the hearts and a cultural programme, again by students, enthralled the audience.

ATDC Guindy shows the way

SKILLING YOUTH is the only way to bring ‘employability’ at the doorsteps in rural areas and ATDC’s job-oriented curricula and state-of the-art resources have proved a boon for youth of Bihar. With these words, Smt. Sarita Chaudhary, Joint Director (Industries), Govt. of Bihar, kicked off 'Spark 2013' celebrations at Bihar

Art Theatre, Kalidas Rangalya, in Patna recently. “The state government is set to allocate more funds for ATDC programmes through Bihar Industries Department,” she announced. Smt. Chaudhary distributed awards to successful students. Later, a cultural extravaganza where a play on the importance of skill training and women empowerment was enacted, enthralled the audience.

Sparks fly in Ranchi

park 2013' celebration at ATDC Guindy was unique in a sense that apart from certificate distribution, an exhibition and a cultural fiesta, three seminars touching upon topics ranging from apparel growth and empowering women, helped students acquire latest know-how in the apparel sector — duly embedded with value education and skill orientation in their respective disciplines. Inaugurated by V. Vaikunth, IPS, ex-DGP (Chennai), the day-long event at Mother Teresa Mahalir Valagam near Valluvar Kottam in Chennai on October 30,

brainstormed on subjects like ‘Fashion World of Retail Sector, ‘Cumulative Success in Apparel Industry,' and ‘Empowering Women Entrepreneurship in Textiles.' Later, an exhibition showcasing embroidery work, appliqué and screenprinted sarees, paintings, designers kurtis, skirts, kid wear, tie and dye stoles and artificial jewellery products by ATDC students set the mood right.

TDC Ranchi celebrated 'Spark 2013' which was inaugurated by Mr. Dhirendra Kumar, MD, Jharcraft. The event had a cultural evening where tradition met modernity, depicted in the dresses wore by students. A Resource Centre was also inaugurated.

in focus

PLACEMENTS

Earn from home, via ATDC

ot just training, ATDC is now taking jobs at the doorsteps — thus bringing placement right in the candidates’ homes. ATDC-Indore organised a counselling session for women candidates so that they can earn while staying home. While interacting with women trainees, Mr. and Mrs Gaurav Jain, owners of ‘Addiction Boutique,’ briefed them about job prospects in construction of Indian traditional salwaar kameez and designer sarees. To begin with, a computerised sketch of the garment, material, laces and all allied materials would be provided which can be crafted and constructed just by undergoing a 45-day fast-track course at their nearest ATDC Centre. This would not only boost place-

ment but also uplift women from the weaker sections of the society without disturbing their family lives.

Admissions at ATDC Indore ATDC Indore selected 41 bright candidates for various specialised programmes recently. A panel of G.S. Arya, Director, HSVN Indore and D.K. Sharma, Manager, Hast Shilp Vikas Nigam (HSVN) Indore interviewed 61 students for sponsored seats in courses like Ap-

ENABLING N-E STUDENTS, VIA NEETEE

urgaon-based Neetee Clothing Private Limited, a leading manufacturer of apparel garments, selected 18 bright ATDC students during a two-phase campus placement drive at ATDC Gurgaon Centre at its NHO recently. The students, who completed SMART Operator course from ATDC Imphal, have been hired as machine operators. Neetee Clothing provided the students with boarding and logistic support — from train tickets, hostel facility and pick-n-drop to the factory, etc. The smile at their faces below tells the whole story, isn’t it?

parel Manufacturing Technology (AMT), Apparel Export Merchandising (AEM), Apparel Pattern Making (APM) and Production Supervision and Quality Control Course (PSQC).

Learn & earn on the job, at Shahi Exports

TDC Chhindwara has created another milestone in empowering people from the margins, by helping candidates began early and learn and earn on-thejob — on the apparel production floor at Shahi Exports' manufacturing unit — which has majority of its workforce recruited from ATDC. In a new start, a batch of 41 ATDC-SMART SOB students were placed by Shahi Exports for customised needs in the whole assembly line for manufacturing collar, placket, cuff, button hole/attaching and over lock, etc. “The results of cus-

tomised training are overwhelming. Within a month, new trainees got almost 50 percent efficiency faster than before. Alteration percentage was halved in comparison to previous batches and they have been able to understand technical concepts easily,” says C. Chandrasekhar, GM, Shahi Export Pvt. Ltd. “With this, we are planning to extend such customised training from cut to pack,” he added. Not just in Chhindwara, Over 36 students have been selected by Shahi Export in Bangalore for such customised training. Way to go, Shahi Exports!

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SUCCESS STORIES

Preparing entrepreneurs

ot all dreams get fulfilled, except those who have a strong determination and reach the right skill doorsteps. Meghna Tetwa had one — starting her own design house — and it was at ATDC Indore that it got fulfilled. “After marriage, I got busy in home chores. Just no time for chasing my dream, despite a BA degree and a boutique management course. However, joining ATDC came as a boon for me. With the help from the faculty and experts, I managed to get rid of my biggest fear – of industrial machines. I slowly regained my confidence and today, I am self-employed,” says a beaming Meghna. She finished the fast-track SMARTSOB course and within two months, opened a boutique–cum–retail outlet. “I design, source, stitch and sell western wear, fusion wear and ethnic wear. My collection today has western tops, fusion

MARGINS DO MATTER F

or Eusup Alam and Md. Saddam Hussain, job options were not too many. Hailing from Other Backward Classes (OBC) section of the society, they had been trying hard to break the glass ceiling and lead a life with head high. The turning point came when they got enrolled in

kurtas, ethnic sarees, salwaar kameez and lehngas,” she says. Beginning with a modest money, she is on course to get good returns. A role model for many at ATDC Indore, there is no looking back for Meghna.

SMART Operator (Basic) course, sponsored by the National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation (NBCFDC), at ATDC Jalpaiguri. Today, they are working as operators in M/s Victus Dyeings at Udumalpet, Tamil Nadu. ATDC has helped many Alams and Hussains join the dots and begin a professional journey. You can be the next!

ATDC brings back smile

or Balaram Das, there was no end to his financial woes. One sunny morning, he came to know about sponsored apparel training courses at ATDC Bhubaneswar, in collaboration with State Urban Development Agency (SUDA) caught his eyes. His world changed. The love for apparel, that began as a one-month Sewing Machine Operator (Basic) course, ended in a sixmonth Apparel Pattern Making (APM) course. “Today, I am running a retail outlet and a tailoring shop that has state-ofthe-art machines — all thanks to ATDC,” he says. The future is only bright.

Realising dreams ubi Rani Sah, after a sudden demise of her father, was left heartbroken. Her wish: to make it big in the apparel industry. “It was a tough time but my mother wanted me to pursue studies and lead a better life. With her support, I joined two-year Advance Diploma in Apparel Manufacturing Technology (AMT) at ATDC Patna. To pay fees, I resorted to giving tuitions at home,” she says. With time, her dream came true. Today, she is working as an apparel merchandiser in Cachet Export Pvt. Ltd. in Kolkata, on a handsome salary — thus being able to support her mother and brother make their ends meet. She is not alone. Another ATDC

Pallavi Sinha Rubi Rani Sah Patna student, Pallavi Sinha, has a similar tale to share. Not knowing what to do after graduation amid financial constraints, Pallavi took admission in the one-year AMT course at ATDC Patna. Her initial apprehensions about the apparel sector were taken care of with utmost care. The job-oriented training helped her gain the lost ground and today, she is working in Sai Design International in New Delhi as a successful merchandiser. Both the girls, with right skill training at ATDC Patna, are self-independent today. Many such success stories have either been made, or in the process of realisation at ATDCs pan-India. When are you going to write yours?

IN SUMMARY

Aiming higher unit value realisation, through ‘Product Speciality’ focus

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

Dr. Darlie O. Koshy presents a strong case on how ‘Product Speciality Training Centres’ are the future and how ATDC — with its first Knitwear Speciality Centre, Textiles Testing Labs and ATDC-JUKI Technology Innovation Centre and Industry Hub — is ready to lead India embark on a journey from ‘entry level’ products to ‘sophisticated’ products...

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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

The Indian economy is certainly growing, though the earlier days of rapid growth of 8 to 9% has receded from its celestial heights to more terra firma rates of 5.5 - 6%. Even at this level, it is important for the Indian export basket to start looking at value addition and product diversification so that instead of exporting ‘raw materials or intermediate products’, more finished and value-added products are exported. Even at the garment stage, the exporters have to move away from US$ 4-5 FOB price bracket and recently, it has been shown by a study on Competitiveness undertaken by AEPC that the product realisation hovers around US$ 3.12 per square metre equivalent. It has been argued by Prof. Ricardo Haussmann of Harvard University that as a country moves up in the ladder of economy it should also move concurrently from ‘entry level’ products to ‘sophisticated’ products. A ‘richer country’, therefore, in terms of GDP and growth rates, should export more ‘value added’ and ‘sophisticated products’. The Indian Apparel Exports are dominated by ‘cotton’ as a fibre / fabric and ‘summer’ as a season. The product assortment or basket is even smaller with just 12-13 product categories where India has presence, and it has been pointed out in the same ‘Bench Mark Study on Competitiveness’ that there are 53 other HC categories in which our exporters could excel. There is a strong case for product diversification not only through value-added MMF products but also by looking at product categories which traditionally are not exported from India. The Innovative Garment Technology Mission (IGTM) set up by Dr. A. Sakthivel, Chairman, AEPC, ATDC & IAM in early 2012 has rightly focussed on product diversification by educating the exporters-the existing ones as well as the Gennext-about the business opportunities of such products. In the Global Innovation Index India has slipped 2 positions to 66 during 2013 and it is important to place innovation in focus. As covered in this issue of SMART NewZine, Denim, Knitwear, Lingerie, Structured (outerwear) jackets, etc. offer tremendous opportunities especially with India’s creative capabilities and skilled workforce available in apparel clusters. The emergence of Faridabad as a knitwear exporting hub is indicative of

the dormant potential. There are manufacturers in Bangalore who have taken up Structured Garments like ‘jacket’ and ‘lingerie’, etc. in an effort to diversify. The new integrated plant of Shahi Exports in Shimoga, Karnataka focused on an end-to-end solution in knitwear under one roof. Specialisation allows the exporter to charge a premium as it improves over the ‘learning curve’ and brings in consistency in quality and delivery of orders over a period of time. While buyer or brand-based specialisation is one such approach, ‘product specialisation’ offers tremendous opportunities for India. The example of Matrix in Gurgaon specialising in ‘Polo Shirts’ and Gokaldas Images in Denim, Jackets, Lingerie, etc. are good examples to go by. Our analysis also clearly indicates that there are also garment exporters in Delhi who have specialised in high-quality garments like M/s. Allied Exports or Maharana of India, etc. which are able to get better Unit Value Realisation. However, the skill levels required for these product categories are certainly higher and it is in this context that ATDC have thought of introducing ‘Product Speciality Training Centres’ by converting either part of the training facility or setting up a dedicated facility. In Faridabad, we have set up the first ‘Knitwear Speciality Centre’ and in Chhindwara, a ‘Shirt Speciality Centre’ is under development. With the second ATDC-JUKI Technology Innovation Centre & Industry Hub in Bengaluru to be set up shortly for which an MoU was signed on November 25, 2013, there are further proactive steps underway to encourage this direction. It is clear that India’s product category list is too skewed for long-term sustainability because of fibre bias (cotton), season bias (summer), manufacturing bias (woven) and unstructured ‘casual and fashion garment’ bias, etc. In this era of ‘Fast Retailing’ and with more seasons being created and more high-selling days like November 11 (Singles’/ Bachelors’ Day) being created, there is need for refocussing the strategies. The success of Zara, Mango and UNIQLO globally indicate the need for Indian garment exporters to have product innovation and diversification to attract new value customers and also speed and imagination to succeed in the new market place which offers many opportunities for those who are ready to grab the same with both hands.