Automation industry mulls skill upgradation
About a dozen companies may shortly decide on formation of a consortium to meet the increasing need for technically skilled and trained personnel of the automation industry in the country.
“At the kick-off meeting, all the participating companies in the consortium welcomed the move and expressed willingness to participate in this consortium. They felt colleges like National Institute of Engineering (NIE) should collaborate with automation industry for training graduates to meet its need for trained personnel,” NIE Principal G L Shekar said.
Siemens Limited, Mumbai, Siemens Industry Software (India) Private Limited, Gurgoan, Festo Controls Pvt Limited, Bangalore, Bosch Rexroth India Pvt Limited, Bangalore, Fanuc India Pvt Limited, Bangalore, Felsomat India Pvt Limited, Bangalore, Schunk Intec India Private Limited, Bangaore, Pepperl & Fuchs India Pvt Limited, Bangalore, Christiani Sharpline Technical Training Pvt Limited, Mumbai, Mitsuibishi Electric India
Pvt Limited, Pune and Phoenix Contact GmbH, Germany are some of the companies that have evinced interest in the consortium.
“It was a landmark meeting as it was a unique bid to bring the industry and the academic institution together to meet the automation industry manpower needs.”he told Business Standard.
The consortium may become a reality in about three months, Shekar said. “The mission is to fill the vacuum by promoting and providing excellence in technical training. This will be done by introducing state-of-the-art didactic training methods, offering further training, enhancing employability and career growth. It necessitates hands-on and classroom training in the fields of Sensors, CNC, PLC, SCADA, Mechatronics, Robotics, and Digital Manufacturing,” he observed.
Automation market in India is approximately Rs 18 billion ($ 360 million). This is expected to grow with 15 per cent CAGR over the next five years.
The current automation in manufacturing industry is less than 10 per cent of the total capital employed in process and machinery. It is expected to rise to 25 per cent in next five years. “If India has to be recognised as a major manufacturing hub in Asia Pacific, the market has to prepare with investment in automation in order to deliver quality products at a quicker time. It must be a volume game which is the key success factor in China,” he said. Currently, at least 300,000 positions handle automation products in various industries.
Every year, nearly 20,000 jobs need to be filled in this sector. As there are no readymade automation engineers, the positions are filled recruiting fresh graduateôdiploma engineers from mechanical, instrumentation and electrical and electronics disciplines. Bearing this in mind, NIE would set up a Centre for Automation Technology (CAT) with lab set up and equipments. acting as a facilitator between industry leaders and academia and the training partner, for generation of talent pool of skilled and specialised professionals.
Mechanical Engineering Department Prof. D.N.Vasuki added, the industry on its part will consider CAT as an extension of their industry being centre of excellence and professional incubation centre of skilled resources, provide inputs in their areas of expertise to keep pace with latest technological advancements, provide hands-on in-plant training to students, and absorb the sucessful ones.