Kerala govt joins BPCL to set up skill development institute

Kerala Government has joined hands with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) to set up a skill development institute in the state to meet the increasing demand for skilled workforce in the country and abroad.
The state-of-the-art institute, to be set up on eight acres in Ettumanoor in Kottayam district, will focus on the hydrocarbon sector and overseas placements.
State Labour and Skill Development additional chief secretary Tom Jose and BPCL Executive Director (Kochi Refinery) Prasad K Panicker signed an MoU in this regard in a function here today.
"The focus area of the new SDI will be hydrocarbon sector and overseas employment. The syllabus and duration of the course and modalities for recruitment are yet to be decided," Panicker said.

"We will soon meet the labour department and Kerala Academy for Skills Excellence (KASE) officials to finalise this," he said.
BPCL has envisaged the SDI in Kerala as part of the decision of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to set up skill development institutes in various parts of the country to bring out the best of the youth and enhance their employability in the oil and gas industry and other sectors.

Under the plan, each major oil and natural gas public sector undertakings, including IOCL, ONGC, BPCL, HPCL, OIL and GAIL volunteered to set up on skill development institutes and BPCL selected Kerala for this.

A society of the PSUs would be formed to run the institute and the cost would be shared among oil companies.
"We approached the state government for adequate land to set up the institute and got eight acres of vacant land for the purpose at the ITI campus at Ettumanoor," Panicker said.
The proposed SDI would cater not only to oil, gas and petrochemical sector, but also to other possible industries in the region and abroad by providing skilled manpower, he said.
"This will result in an overall skill upgradation and development of the youth of the region and will also enhance their employability and increase opportunities for them in various industries in India and abroad," he said.

Earlier, speaking at the function, Tom Jose said there should be a paradigm shift in the mindset of people towards skilled jobs, many of which are now better paying than traditional engineering jobs.
State director of employment and training K Biju was also present during the function.