Supporting ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ Johnson Controls – Hitachi Air Conditioning joins hands with Andhra’s APSSDC for ‘boundary less’ Skill Building for India’s youth
Hyderabad: As economic self-reliance and Atma-Nirbhar Bharat has become the need of the hour, Johnson Controls – Hitachi Air Conditioning India Limited has joined hands with Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) to make skill development in Air Conditioners and Refrigeration uninterrupted and boundary less amid COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi also cited ACs as a priority sector, besides furniture, leather and footwear, for the government’s Make in India push to generate jobs.
Supporting ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ and extending its commitment towards skilling and making the youth more employable, the company has collaborated with APSSDC for a webinar on Air Conditioners and Refrigeration. The participants were taken through extensive training on “Basics of Air Conditioners and Refrigeration by experts from Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India Limited. Col. Rajesh Ohol, Head of HR, Admin and CSR, Mr. Rajesh Nagri, Head of Service and Engineering Excellence Centers (EEC), Mr. V Srinivasan, Head, EEC Chennai and Mr. Janakiraman, Manager, EEC Chennai from Johnson Controls – Hitachi Air Conditioning India Limited also addressed the students on future opportunities, new technologies and need for skill development in HVAC at the webinar. As part of its CSR initiative, the company intends to train rural youth across the country through its world class trainers, specially designed curriculum and 5 skill development centres in Andhra Pradesh and 1 skill development centre in Gujarat. The training at these centres has been an ongoing process even during the lockdown as trainers imparted training on online keeping the students updated and engaged.
Talking about this unique CSR initiative, Mr. Gurmeet Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India Ltd. said “Skill development in the HVAC industry holds the key to reinforce employment opportunities and self-reliance mission in the times of COVID-19 and Swadeshi movement. In the ongoing scenario there is a drastic change in nature of work and employment profiles in HVAC manufacturing and services further boosting the demand for new style of skill development. Johnson Controls – Hitachi Air Conditioning is a global leader in air conditioning technology and our vision is to work for society and create value for people. With ‘everything virtual’ in the mandatory social distancing world, we are confident that our boundary less initiative of skill building in Air Conditioner and Refrigeration segment will transform country’s rural youth into world-class technicians. While the Covid-19 pandemic has led to the shutdown of institutions and training centers across the nation, ‘Unlocking Skills’ initiative will help us in connecting and inspiring rural youth for skill building on virtual platform.”
“Johnson Controls – Hitachi Air Conditioning India Limited had made the commitment to the state of Andhra Pradesh to participate in contributing towards the building of a great and skilled state. We are consistently working towards our commitment by extending the span of skill development centres, thus covering the entire state. Our training centres are a step forward in supporting the government vision by skilling of rural youth in AC repairing and maintenance. We have aggressive plans to impart skill in AC repairing and maintenance to rural youth, enabling them to explore better job and entrepreneurship opportunities.”, Mr. Singh further added.
Sri. Challa Madhusudhan Reddy, Chairman, Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) and Dr Arja Srikanth, MD & CEO APSSDC have lent unstinted support to the skill building platform. Their efforts in leveraging training for the rural youth of AP even during lockdown through the initiative of “Unlocking Skills” will enable and empower the youth with new age capabilities and technical skills in the fast changing business environment.
Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India Limited, the India unit of the joint venture company between Johnson Controls, U.S.A and Hitachi Appliances, Japan is undertaking the Skill development project as a part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR). The company is bearing the entire cost of running the Multi Skill Development Centers (MSDCs), including AC units for training purposes, salary of instructors/support staff, stationary, furniture, consumables, logistics support etc. It is also providing training equipment and tool kits to trainees. The company has an ongoing project of skill development of rural youth in air conditioning repair and maintenance in partnership with ITI, Kadi in association with Gujarat government and the company intends to replicate a similar model for the rural youth of Andhra Pradesh.