Airbus has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for establishing a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for aerospace skill development in Hyderabad, together with the Government of Telangana, National Skill Development Corporation India, and AEROCAMPUS France.
The MoU was signed on the sidelines of Aero India 2017 in the presence of Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Union Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and K. Taraka Rama Rao, Minister for Industries & Commerce, Government of Telangana.
"This first-of-its-kind Center of Excellence aims to enhance the employability of young aspirants by imparting the required skills to them," said Rajiv Pratap Rudy. "The centre will not only provide training on aircraft maintenance but also on aerospace manufacturing and assembling".
The CoE will come up at Begumpet Airport, Hyderabad and will train candidates ranging from high school graduates to experienced aviation personnel on aircraft manufacturing, logistics, Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO), ground handling and special aviation processes.
"Telangana has taken a lead in setting up India's first Center of Excellence in aerospace manufacturing. We understand the importance of skill development in creating a comprehensive and successful aerospace ecosystem. The centre will up-skill the local youth as per international norms and will also partner with global aerospace and defence majors in their 'Make in India' programmes," said K. Taraka Rama Rao.
The CoE will offer short-term refresher modules as well as long-term certificate and diploma courses that will find acceptability within the industry. The centre is expected to roll-out short-term courses this year. The plan is to upgrade it into a university over the next 5 years.
"We are sensitive to India's ambition to have a thriving indigenous aerospace industry. This Centre of Excellence will play a role in translating this ambition into reality by feeding the industry with a trained talent pool," said Ashish Saraf, V-P & 'Make in India' officer for Airbus.
The Government of Telangana will provide space for setting up the CoE and arrange the initial seed fund for the project.
National Skill Development Corporation will channelise the candidates to the CoE. Together with AEROCAMPUS and the Aviation and Aerospace Sector Skill Council (AASSC), it will also ensure that the programmes comply with international standards and are certified. NSDC will track the progress of the project on a regular basis through its Skill Development Management Solution (SDMS).
Airbus will act as the industry expert to the project and help design the curriculum for the different trainings. It will provide inputs on the latest industry trends, play an active role in curriculum design, contribute in terms of visiting faculty and offer internship opportunities to the successful candidates.
AEROCAMPUS will be in charge of the operations of the CoE and will lead the training and certifying of the on-site trainers and the implementation of a Quality Management System as a precursor to getting international approvals and accreditations.
BW Reporters
Ayushman is an award-winning business and tech journalist based in Bangalore, with diverse experience in journalism across newspaper, magazine and news wire. He is the recipient of the 15th annual Polestar Award in Jury's category for excellence in journalism in 2013. He is also an NSE-certified capital market professional (NCCMP) and driven by his interest, he has also attended hands-on workshops on cloud computing to stay on top of technology journalism
