Collaborating for an Empowered Future

 The Indian manufacturing industry is poised for an accelerated growth in the coming years. However, it is widely acknowledged thatdespite the emphasis placed oneducation and training in our country, one of the significant challenges to greater growth is the shortage of skilled manpower needed to address the changing demands of the industry. Hence, there is a desperate need of workers with employable skill sets who are ‘industry readyresources’ at the entry level.

To overcome this situation, the government is striving dedicatedly with initiatives like Skill India that are designed to develop and improve multiple skills required by the industry through the active involvement of all key stake holders. However, it becomes imminent for corporates and industry bodies to do their bit in support of skill building efforts.

It is in this context that, Kennametal, as a responsible corporate citizen is doing its part to fill the void with a program designed to churn out a trained and certified labor force having employable skill sets.

Apprenticeship Program

Kennametal is actively involved in training technical professionals with different levels of educational qualification. There are three types of apprentices engaged on a regular basis: ITI Apprentices, Technician Apprentices and Graduate Apprentices.

All apprentices are taken on board after a written technical test and a personal interview to ensure their aptitude, attitude and learning agility.

ITI Apprentices: Students with ITI training are taken in for Turner/Fitter/Grinder trades in one-year apprenticeship program as per Apprenticeship Act. During the program, the students attend weekly instruction classes and learn through on-the-job training which ensures that their knowledge is further enhanced, and they have a practical experience of working on the shop-floor.

Technician Apprentices: Diploma students are engaged for one year on-the-job and class room training. The training provides them the exposure to the latest technology and work practices as per industry trends. The students are made aware of the soft skills (workplace etiquettes), shop-floor safety practices and high work ethics, which are critical disciplinary elements of working on the shop-floor. This also gives them an opportunity to learn and imbibe best in industry practices. The students become technically competent and develop the capability of understanding finer aspects of Quality and TPM, thus preparing them well for the industry.

Graduate Apprentices: Graduate Apprentice Trainees (or GAT as they are referred internally) who have completed 4-year engineering course in Mechanical/Electrical/Automobile are engaged in one year extensive training and are made to work in different functions under direct supervision of the senior management. As per business needs, these students undergo a course at IMTMA, which along with the OJT (On the Job training) and Soft Skill courses helps them realize their potential fully. All these inputs and development make them excellent candidates to be recruited in Kennametal. Equipped with the right skill sets, GATs who have completed their Apprenticeship program with the company are welcome in the industry at large, which is reflected in their placements at many Indian and MNC organizations.

Knowledge Center

Apart from the above Apprentice programs, Kennametal has its own ‘Knowledge Center’ (KC) that spearheads training programs designed to enhance knowledge and skills of Cutting Tools professionals at the users’ end. The center is among the most reckoned technical training centers in India in the field of Metal Cutting Application Engineering and has created a benchmark in the manufacturing industry.

This is especially relevant in the present context of globalization where the demand for skilled and multi-tasking workers is on the rise.

What Knowledge Center does

Every year KC conducts Metal Cutting Application Engineering training programs impacting around 1000 manufacturing professionals from the user industries, enabling them to be better equipped to select the right tools, deal with the changing machining requirements and focus on getting the right productivity with cost saving opportunities.

The KIL leadership team also actively shares inputs on curriculum with select educational institutions in addition to providing corporate exposure to their students in an effort to bridge gap between corporate and academia.

We have been to educational institutes in Bangalore and beyond for spreading awareness among the teaching staff and students regarding corporate expectations and sharing success tips with them.

Kennametal Knowledge Center is widely known for producing successful batches in metal cutting applications.

Industry’s pivotal role

As part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), an active involvement with selected educational institutions is ensured, right from primary schools to professional colleges, to improve the quality of learning and enhance the learning skills of underprivileged students. Scholarships are also offered to deserving students to enable them to pursue higher education. Students are provided with the opportunities of industry visits as well as internships, which is highly appreciated by the academia.

The Government of India’s ongoing initiatives towards this will pay off in due time. The issue, however, needs a holistic approach to bridge the skill gap in the industry. Hence, it becomes highly imperative for the industry itself to come forward to play a supportive role in the building of New India.

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