Hyundai adopts ITI in State

Hyundai technicians

Chennai: About 400 students of a languishing industrial training institute (ITI) in a small town in Tamil Nadu will soon be spoilt for choice. Courtesy: Hyundai Motors India Limited (HMIL).

The Korean auto major has adopted the Ulundurpet ITI, located some 200 km south of Chennai, as a part of the Central government’s plan to revamp technical institutes.

The Union government had recently announced its plan to revamp about 1,391 technical institutes in the country on a public-private participation (PPP) basis to make ITI students “employable” by the industry. Most of these training institutes are in bad shape with no proper tools or teachers. To fill this void, the government directed big corporate houses to work in tandem with one institute each and to train students “according to industry requirements.” About nine industries in Tamil Nadu have been allotted one ITI each.

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Under this plan, the Ulundurpet ITI has been assigned to HMIL.

“The institute even lacks basic lab facilities and training equipment. Even the lathe machine present there is too old,” said S. Ganapathy, Senior Vice-President (HR) of HMIL. To develop this institute, Hyundai has earmarked a total investment of about Rs 25 lakh. This is in addition to the Rs 2.5-crore interest-free loan that the ITI will get from the Central government.

“Currently, for students who are being trained in auto mechanism, there are not even the rights set of tools, forget about a car, to work on. All cars, which are being used for our trial purposes in the Hyundai factory, will be given to these students for their practical classes,” Ganapathy said.

The company will also help redraft the syllabus of the institute in line with the industrial needs. The agenda of a one-day government workshop on July 18, 2008 between corporates, central government officials and the principals of these institutes is aimed at finalising a revised “industry-friendly” syllabus for ITIs.

At the end of the one-year courses, some of the students will also be offered a 15-day training in the Hyundai Irungattukottai factory. “If they qualify our internal tests, we will be even be absorbing a few of them,” said Ganapathy. “There is a serious shortage of technical skills in most industries. If these students are given proper training and guidance as per the industry needs, it will be a win-win situation for both.”

Apart from offering student training, Hyundai, as a part of its corporate social responsibility initiative, has also signed a MoU with Sri Ramachandra Medical College to offer telemedicine facilities to villages in and around Kancheepuram and Tiruvalluvar districts. “The medical van, with latest facilities and ample staff, will visit about two villages a day. Villagers can even get expert consultation for free via the telemedicine services,” Ganapathy said. For this purpose, the Korean firm has sanctioned a sum of Rs 12 lakh per annum.

This apart, the auto major plans to revamp the Kancheepuram government hospital at a cost of Rs 1.2 crore. “The hospital lacks even basic civic facilities. But soon, it will be a world-class one,” affirms the Hyundai official.

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