MSDE organizes National Apprenticeship Awareness Workshop

• The inaugural workshop for the state of Hyderabad was held yesterday in NSTI and witnessed participation from over 350 participants from various establishments including candidates from ITIs and junior colleges
• The workshop focused on creating awareness on the latest apprenticeship reforms and discussed the reforms under the Apprentices Act, 1961. MSDE will organize 250 such workshops across the country

Hyderabad:  Recognizing the need for simplifying and easing the process of apprenticeship and to make apprenticeship aspirational for India’s youth, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is organizing 250 workshops in 36 states/UTs to create awareness around apprenticeship reforms amongst the establishments, aspirants, and its stakeholders. The Regional Directorate, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship will oversee the organizing of the events at respective locations.

On the organizing of these workshops, Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) expressed, apprenticeship, which is learning while working, is the most sustainable format for the education-to-work transition. Therefore, at MSDE, we have envisioned these 250 workshops that will help create more awareness around the benefits linked with apprenticeship for both- youth and the enterprises, raising the aspirational value attached with it. The reforms in the Apprentices Act, 1961, have given access to our youth to receive best hands-on training so that they have the right environment that will help them enter the workforce and introduction of stipend-based systems will boost recognition of skill sets and accelerate empowerment of our youth.

The vision of the workshops would be to accelerate the implementation of apprenticeship reforms and training. The planned workshops have a dual objective of improving the branding and communication for apprenticeship at both the demand and the supply side. Through the workshop, awareness will be built around key apprenticeship schemes such as National Apprenticeship and Promotion Scheme (NAPS), National Apprenticeship and Training Scheme (NATS) and National Employability Enhancement Scheme (NEEM).

The inaugural workshop for the state of Hyderabad was held yesterday at National Skill Training Institute and was a daylong event. Smt. I. Rani Kumudini, IAS, Special Chief Secretary, Government of Telangana inaugurated the workshop. In addition, over 350 representatives from Regional Directorate, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (RDSDEs), Board of Apprenticeship Training (BOAT), State Government, District Skill Committee (DSC), National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), Educational Institutions, Industry Partners and Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) attended the workshop. The candidates from Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and junior colleges also participated in the workshop.

Speaking on the occasion, Smt. I. Rani Kumudini IAS, Special Chief Secretary, Government of Telangana said, any and every sector requires a skilled workforce and apprenticeship is the key answer to this as it addresses the need for building a capable talent pool that fulfils the demand of the industries that seek trained workforce. Through workshops like these, we will be able to make our youth confident as they imbibe relevant skills, matching with the demands of the current business environment. I laud the initiative undertaken by MSDE and Shri K. Srinivasa Rao, ISDS, National Skill Training Institute in implementing this workshop to make apprenticeship aspirational for our youth by building more awareness around the reforms.

During the workshop, Regional Directorate of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (RDSDEs) presented the apprenticeship reforms initiated by MSDE. The entire proceedings were showcased through a live stream for the benefit of the stakeholders. The workshop ended with an interactive session, followed by a Q&A.

The Ministry has conducted several initiatives with various stakeholders to streamline the portal and the procedures and update the NAPS guidelines to expand the number of establishments and apprentices to address the gap between supply and demand for a skilled workforce. The Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Mela (PMNAM) aims to bring candidates and employers together on a single platform on the second Monday of every month and expose youth to the numerous opportunities the participating companies offer.

The workshops are being organized under the overall guidance of Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, while NSDC, NIMI, MSMEs, Development Institutes (DI), and RDSDE would be responsible for their implementation.