The Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC), the skill council in India for the automobile industry successfully concluded its annual ‘Partners Forum – 2023’ event in New Delhi.
The event was inaugurated by Dr Hanif Qureshi, IPS, Joint Secretary (Automobile) Ministry of Heavy Industries, Chief Guest and Dr Neena Pahuja, Executive Member, NCVET, who was the Guest of Honour. Other important dignitaries included Vinod Agarwal, MD & CEO VECV and President, ASDC; Dr Rodney Reviere – Project Head Indo German Program for Vocational Education and Training ( IGVET) and Tarun Aggarwal, Vice President (Head CSR), Maruti Suzuki India.
The skill development body unveiled the ‘Sankalp TOT Impact Report and MHI 23 Future Qualifications’, which provides comprehensive details about the vast opportunities available in the automobile sector for aspiring youth. The event saw participation from over 250 industry partners from across the country and discussed about the upcoming challenges and opportunities.
The theme for this year’s forum was ‘Skilling the Future Together’, which aimed to acknowledge the rapidly evolving nature of the industry, necessitating collaboration among individuals, businesses, governments, and the skilling ecosystem to develop and enhance the skills required in the future.
Three different sessions on Integrating Skill with Education: Opportunities & Challenges, Enhancing Productivity and Quality through Skilling and Skilling through CSR Initiative were organised in the events and industry leaders emphasised the importance of upskilling current employees to meet the demands of emerging technologies and processes, as well as attracting and training new talent to enter the industry.
Vinod Agarwal highlighted the annual update on ASDC and expressed his views on the changing landscape of the automotive industry and the future of work. He stated that during the past financial year, ASDC successfully completed more than 1 lakh apprenticeships. This achievement reflects the dedication and commitment of ASDC and its partners in delivering high-quality skill development programs. ASDC has also developed training programs for robotics and automation, smart manufacturing, industry 4.0 technology, electric vehicles and alternative fuel technology, automotive sustainability, and safety.
He further mentioned that ASDC has actively collaborated with various international forums, sharing best practices and learning from global counterparts. This knowledge exchange has not only enriched ASDC’s training programs but has also positioned the Indian automotive industry as a hub of skilled professionals on the global map.
Dr Hanif Quereshi emphasised “The automobile industry requires a significant number of skilled individuals. There is still much work to be done, and while ASDC has done a commendable job, we must prioritise skilling in new technologies.”
He further highlighted the crucial role played by the government of India in facilitating the industry’s transition to new technologies through schemes such as PLI ACC, PLI Auto, and FAME 2. He urged the industry to take advantage of the Ministry of Heavy Industries schemes and expressed confidence that the Indian automotive industry would establish itself in the global market.
“Electric vehicles (EVs) present a remarkable opportunity for India to compete globally. Let us ensure that the Indian EV story becomes the global EV story,” added Dr. Qureshi.
