The North India Printers' Association (NIPA), with the help of Glasgow Metropolitan College (GMC), Scotland, will be coming up with a state-of-the-art printing institute-cum-testing lab at Ludhiana. | |
| The total cost of the project is estimated to be around Rs 200 crore, which will be spent in a phased manner over a period of 10 years. |
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| GMC Principal Prof Thomas B Wilson and NIPA General Secretary Kamal Chopra, who visited the college last week have signed an agreement under which GMC will provide syllabus and other technical know how to the students. |
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| Speaking to Business Standard, Kamal Chopra said the need for such an institute has emerged with the changing technology and installation of sophisticated computerised machines, which has made it necessary to up-scale the printing and packaging industry of the region. |
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| "This segment of industry, at present, is facing acute shortage of skilled and semi skilled workforce. The proposed institute is likely to fill the need and make the region self sufficient in skilled manpower." |
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| Chopra further said an agreement has been signed between NIPA and GMC on two issues"" starting an advance skill development programme and a basic training course for unskilled labour. |
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| "Eventually, NIPA and GMC will start Higher National Certificate-level training course at Ludhiana and a Higher National Diploma in Printing at Glasgow. The training in India will be imparted by GMC experts, while "subsidised" Higher National Diploma will be at Glasgow Metropolitan College, which has 25,000 students on roll. It is one of the biggest and specialised public sector-funded college in the UK." |
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| NIPA and GMC have decided to set up the proposed printing institute-cum-testing lab at Ludhiana. Arrangements are under way to shortly start admissions and classes for hand-on-job supervisory staff in a rented building in Model Town before the institute moves to its permanent premises in South City, Ludhiana. |
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| "If we can create a system of training and certification which not only recognises their skills but also provides education and training in a mode that suits their economic compulsions, it will benefit the workforce to earn a decent living". |
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