Bhubaneswar: Odisha Industries, Skill Development and Technical Education Minister Sampad Chandra Swain on Wednesday reviewed the progress and future roadmap of the World Skill Center (WSC) in the capital city and stressed the need to expand industry-linked skilling programmes and introduce new specialised technical courses.
During the review meeting, the minister said the World Skill Center has laid a strong foundation for advanced skill development in Odisha and called for wider utilisation of its infrastructure, stronger industry partnerships and greater coordination among educational institutions across the State.
“Our focus is to prepare Odisha’s youth not only for domestic employment opportunities but also for global platforms like WorldSkills,” Swain said during the meeting.
He also directed officials to increase student intake, expand short-term industry-oriented courses and introduce specialised technical programmes such as underwater welding and pipe welding.
Officials informed the Minister that the World Skill Center has emerged as a flagship institution in Odisha’s skill development sector and has trained more than 9,000 youths since its inception. The institution has achieved a placement rate of over 99 per cent, with 251 candidates securing overseas jobs in reputed companies such as Tata Group, Hitachi and Wipro, among others.
The Center has also trained over 4,000 faculty members through its ‘Training of Trainers’ programme and established Centres of Excellence in advanced sectors including Advanced Welding, Industrial Automation and Smart Manufacturing.
Swain further emphasised the need for stronger collaboration among government institutions, private Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and polytechnics to strengthen the State’s skilling ecosystem and improve employment opportunities for youth.
Skill Development and Technical Education Department Commissioner-cum-Secretary Bhupendra Singh Poonia, World Skill Center CEO Rashmi Ranjan Mohapatra, COO Pinaki Pattnaik, Principal Dr Subhanga Kishore Das and other senior officials attended the meeting.
