5,000 candidates trained by Skill Development Institute placed across India and globally

Guwahati: Established in 2017, the Skill Development Institute established by Oil India has reached far and wide mobilising the rural masses to gainful employment across India and the world.

Business North East conducted an exclusive interview with the Chief Executive Office Arun Jyoti Baruah and General Manager and Secretary Raju Moni Saikia to know more about this institute and its incredible success stories.

Excerpts of their interview are as under-

BNE: We're eager to learn about the Skill India Institute initiative by Oil India. Could you please elaborate on this?

Secy: It's a pleasure to share information about the Skill India Institute. This initiative, started in 2017, aims to enhance the skills of the youth in the region. Recognizing the need for skill development in this area, Oil India established the institute in Guwahati to cater to the local population.

BNE: What is the vision behind this initiative?
Secy: The primary vision is to conduct skill gap analysis among students in this region and provide them with the necessary training. This ensures better placement opportunities for them in the future. The institute operates under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, with a directive to establish and fulfill these objectives swiftly.

BNE: What are the eligibility criteria for students interested in these courses?
Secy: The institute offers 17 different courses, each with varying eligibility criteria. For some courses, a minimum of 10th-grade education is required, while others require 12th-grade completion. There's even a course for machine operation that requires an 8th-grade education. These diverse levels ensure that students from different educational backgrounds can benefit.

BNE: Is there any fee or scholarship facility available for these courses?
Secy: There are no fees for these courses. However, we take a refundable deposit of INR 1,000 from the students, which is returned upon successful completion of the course. This ensures commitment from the students.

BNE: How many students have been trained so far?
Secy: Since its inception in 2017, the Skill India Institute in Guwahati has trained around 5,000 students in various trades.

BNE: Recently, there was an inauguration of a solar panel installation course. Could you tell us more about it?
CEO: Yes, indeed. On the 4th of September, our Director (HR) Ashok Das inaugurated a new Solar PV Installer course at the Skill Development Institute. This course is in line with the government's renewable energy initiatives and aims to equip students with skills in solar energy installation and maintenance. This initiative aligns with India's goal of achieving net-zero emissions and meeting the growing demand for skilled labor in the green energy sector.

BNE: How do you reach out to the students, or how do they reach out to you?
CEO: That’s a very interesting question. There are two main ways we do this. First, the candidates who graduate from our programs become ambassadors. When they return to their villages, towns, and neighbourhoods, people in their age group, friends, and neighbours ask them what they are doing. This word-of-mouth spreads the information to their own communities. Secondly, we have our resource team. 
We have limitations with the number of seats available. For instance, the Certified Electrician and Certified Welder courses each have only 30 seats. This time, we have also started a solar course with 30 seats. Although the institute is located in Uttar Fulung, we have plans to expand in the future to accommodate more students and provide better skills training.

BNE: The students involved in this program, from which sectors of society do they generally belong? Are they rural?
CEO: Yes, they are primarily from rural areas and often from below-poverty-line backgrounds. We target these students because they have the motivation and vision to do something in life. We try to motivate them and provide them with the necessary training.

BNE: With agriculture being the mainstay of the economy and the government's focus on skill development, don't you think that training youth in these skills might detract from their interest in agriculture?
CEO: I fully agree. However, Oil India Limited, through the Oil India Rural Development Society, has taken many initiatives in agriculture. We have tied up with Assam Agricultural University for various projects, providing financial assistance, and supporting tilling and cultivation. This ensures that while we focus on skill development in other areas, we also support agriculture.

BNE: Do you have any collaborations with other organizations to make your work successful?
CEO: Yes, we work under the Hydrocarbon Sector Skill Council, which is a collaboration of various petroleum companies. Each company operates different skill institutes. For example, the Skill Level Institute in Guwahati is operated by Oil India Limited, and others are managed by different petroleum companies. We have regular meetings and interactions where we share information and learn from each other.

BNE: Do you have any international collaborations now or plans for the future?
CEO: Not currently. However, with the increasing focus on net-zero and solar energy, there is potential for international collaboration in the future. The candidates we are training today could work on global projects, so it's a possibility.

BNE: What challenges has the Skill Development Institute faced so far?
CEO: One major challenge is awareness. While our company is pushing the initiative, it’s crucial for everyone to be aware of it. The 90 students currently in the program help spread information in their communities, but we need it to become a larger movement. Media can play a significant role in reaching the local corners of the state and making people aware of these skill development initiatives.

BNE: What future plans do you have for the institute and the students?
CEO: We are currently limited by our physical capacity, accommodating only 90 students. However, our company plans to build a larger institute. The government has shown support by providing land, and we aim to expand our capacity and courses to reach more students and provide better training.