India: Goa Shipyard Starts Skill Development Programme

In an effort to impart employability skill among the unemployed youth and school dropouts, a Skill Development Programme as a CSR project of Goa Shipyard Ltd., with Society for Industrial & Technical Education of Goa (SITEG), as the executing Partner of the project was launched at Institute of Ship Building Technology, Vasco on 27 November 2012.

The launching of the programme was synchronized with the commencement of the first batch of training in welding technology.

The project is aimed at providing Training in welding to the youth, honing their skills and preparing them for Industry and as tradesmen in ship building, fabrication and ship repairs in particular. The students shall be awarded certificates by the Classification Society on completion of the training.

RAdm. Vineet Bakhshi VSM, Chairman & Managing Director Goa Shipyard Ltd inaugurated the programme in the presence of Shri A V Chowgule, Chairman SITEG and other dignitaries.

Lauding the SITEG for supporting and partnering GSL in its endevour to establish a Skill Development Institute under CSR, the CMD GSL said “This is a long term initiative with duration of 5 years for which GSL has entered into a memorandum of agreement which would see it developed into a sustainable project. GSL shall provide necessary financial support under its CSR to develop the said infrastructure.”

The CMD further said that the success of the project will open up possibilities of its expansion for other trades in ship building core areas such as fabrication, crane operators, marine fitters etc.

Speaking on the occasion Shri Chowgule said that such joint initiatives will undoubtedly go a long way in not only honing the skill sets of the youth but also assist in the gainful employment of such skilled manpower created through the project in the state of Goa. It would strengthen the availability of skill sets for Shipbuilding in India.

It is noteworthy that GSL has over the years provided significantly to this sector in Goa by way of employment, taxes, revenues and ancillary industry development. The Skill Development Project is the first ever collaborative effort of a premier public sector ship building company and a leading training institution offering customized quality training programme to the local youth.

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Press Release, December 04, 2012