Ludhiana's knitwear industry to start vocational training

Looking to ease the trained manpower problem, the knitwear industry in Ludhiana along with other textile players in the region is mulling setting up of a vocational centre in Ludhiana for trained manpower. The vocational centre would be a part of the Common Facility Centre(CFC) coming over 9,000 square yards .

The vocational centre, which would be operational by 2012, would house facilities to train manpower required for the textile units in the region. A team of counsellors has been hired, and it would target schools around Ludhiana and persuade students to join the vocational centre, who later on would be absorbed by the textile industry.

Labour has been a matter of concern for the industry in Punjab since last few years even as the industry is working on different models to mitigate the problems.

The buyer-seller meet organised by hosiery industry in Ludhiana this year resulted in an increase in the size of order books. The increase in orders for hosiery industry in Ludhiana is mainly because of the inability of industrialists to fulfil the demands placed by buyers last year.

The labour problems have left knitwear industry in Ludhiana able to operate to only around 60 per cent of its capacity. Because of this, manufacturers last year found it tough to honour the commitments. The knitwear industry members say buyers in this year’s meet fearing non-fulfilment of commitment has placed more orders.

Vinod Thapar, president Ludhiana Knitwear Club says, “Labour has become a serious issue for the industries in Ludhiana, especially the textile industry which is labour-intensive.”

Although automation to the possible extent has been done, the industry is working on methods to streamline the problem.

Thapar believes setting up of vocational college to train local workforce was another step in the direction. The vocational centre would ensure that the textile industry is able to train the local workforce in the state which could ease the labour woes of the industry.