PCMC, SKF India Launch Employability and Entrepreneurship Development Centre in Chikhali
Country’s first government-corporate skill development SEED Centre aims to equip youth with industry-ready skills and employment opportunities
Pimpri : The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), in collaboration with SKF India (Industrial) Limited and the PCMC Industrial Training Institute (ITI), Morwadi, has launched the first SKF Employability and Entrepreneurship Development (SEED) Centre at Jadhavwadi in Chikhali. The initiative aims to bridge the gap between skill training and industry requirements while creating better employment opportunities for young people.
The centre has been established under SKF India’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative and is being positioned as the country’s first government-corporate collaborative skill development SEED Centre.
The first batch of 100 students will undergo a 300-hour training programme designed to prepare them for roles such as Shop Floor Technician and Industrial Electrician.
The curriculum will include hands-on technical training, industrial safety practices, communication skills, personality development, workplace skills, digital literacy and an introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students will also receive assistance throughout the process, from training to job placement.
The programme is open to candidates who have completed at least Class 10 or Class 12, ITI and other eligible educational qualifications. Special outreach and awareness initiatives will also be undertaken to encourage greater participation of women in manufacturing-sector careers.
PCMC Commissioner Dr Vijay Suryawanshi (IAS), Additional Commissioner Kuldeep Jangam (IAS), Joint Commissioner Manoj Lonkar, ITI Principal Shashikant Patil, Vishnu Sable, Vikram Alokhe and Somnath Shinde attended the inauguration.
Representing SKF India were Managing Director Sujith Pai, Company Manager Prashant Hande, CSR and Sustainability Head Shashi Shetty, CSR Lead Mayur Deshmukh and Communications Lead Priyanka Das. Representatives of Tata STRIVE, including Anita Rajan, Pradeep Lingawat, Venkat Rayudu, Shweta Bakshi, Akshay Shetty, Pranoti Awalekar and Ramesh Balwadkar, were also present.
Speaking on the occasion, SKF India (Industrial) Managing Director Sujith Pai said that skilled and confident human resources were as important as infrastructure for the growth of India’s manufacturing sector.
He said the SEED initiative would bring together industry, government and development partners to provide practical technical education, digital and AI readiness, recognised certification and employment assistance. The programme aims to transform the aspirations of young people into employability while expanding career opportunities and promoting inclusiveness.
