Indian government relies on German trainers

Recently, upon commission by the Indian government, 20 Indian training supervisors from state-run vocational education and training institutions have completed a training course in the fields of machining and automotive mechatronics at the Kreishandwerkerschaft (District Tradesmen's Association) Hellweg-Lippe in Soest. This training supervisor course of instruction is the first instance of the Indian labour ministry commissioning a German provider of continuing education with a job that is fully funded by Indian budget resources. iMOVE had conducted the tendering procedure on behalf of the Indian labour ministry.

iMOVE: How come the Kreishandwerkerschaft Hellweg-Lippe has conducted a training for the Indian government?

Tschirpke: India urgently needs trainers who can provide practice-oriented education and training for the rapidly growing number of young people in the country. The Indian government makes a point of finding this action- and market-oriented know-how specifically in Germany.

On the basis of an agreement between the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Indian Ministry of Labour, iMOVE has conducted the tendering procedure in Germany and has carried out a qualitative pre-selection of submitted tenders in order to identify qualified German providers for this train-the-trainer course. We happened to be the lucky ones whose tender was accepted.

iMOVE: What did the qualification measure entail as regards its contents?

Tschirpke: First, colleagues from the Kreishandwerkerschaft have prepared the master trainers in India by providing a two-week course on the topic of vocational pedagogics. Subsequently, these training supervisors spent six weeks in Soest.

The qualification measure comprised a course of instruction at our vocational education and training centre in Soest, numerous visits to various businesses and work experience by placement with a company.

iMOVE: What is your assessment of the current situation in the Indian education and training market?

Tschirpke: At present, the Indian government is greatly intensifying its efforts in creating and further developing vocational education and training institutions. Industry commitment as regards vocational education and training in the context of public-private partnerships has grown and will continue to grow even more.

This is something German companies are involved in as well. The government does its best to speed up this development. All this helps to render vocational education and training in India more practice- and market-oriented.

The Indian Consul General, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, visited his fellow countrymen, while they were in Soest for their course of instruction. For him, their continuing education is an important step towards fully exhausting the demographic potential constituted by the Indian young population and towards preparing considerable resources for combating the worldwide skilled labour shortage.

He encouraged the course participants by saying that the professional qualification obtained by them in Germany today will tomorrow already have become part of the Indian success story.

iMOVE: Could you imagine working together with the Indian government again in the future?

Tschirpke: We would very much like to lend support in the creation of the new vocational education and training centres currently planned by the Indian government. The Indian trainers are very much interested in the latest technological developments in order to be able to qualify their budding skilled workers on site according to the most up-to-date standards. They are intent on both training know-how and the innovative furnishing of the educational institutions. With our diverse industry contacts, we can provide them with the best support in every aspect.