Chandigarh: The Punjab government has started the process of transforming five government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) into industry-aligned centres of excellence under the Centre’s PM-SETU scheme.
The initiative aims to upgrade infrastructure, modernise equipment, update courses and strengthen industry partnerships to improve skill training and employment opportunities for students.
Five ITIs to Be Upgraded
The project will follow a hub-and-spoke model, with Government ITI Hoshiarpur serving as the Hub and ITIs in Gurdaspur, Nawanshahr, Pathankot and Ranjit Avenue, Amritsar functioning as Spokes. Together, the five institutes offer around 90 trades.
An industry partner will lead the modernisation through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) under a public-private partnership model. The industry partner will hold a 51% stake, while the Centre and Punjab government will each hold 24.5%.
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Focus on New-Age Skills
The revamped ITIs are expected to introduce courses in emerging sectors such as electric vehicles, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, machine learning and advanced manufacturing.
The industry partner will also help upgrade classrooms, laboratories, workshops, hostels and IT infrastructure while providing industry-grade equipment, tools and simulators.
Stronger Industry and Job Linkages
The plan also focuses on making training more closely connected with actual workplace requirements. Industry partners will support curriculum development, faculty training, apprenticeships and placements.
The institutes will also introduce initiatives such as job fairs, apprenticeship cells, career counselling, incubation centres, entrepreneurial cells, online laboratories and virtual reality-based training.
The modernisation is aimed at creating a stronger link between vocational education and industry demand, helping Punjab’s ITI students gain relevant skills and better access to employment.
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