KOLKATA: In order to address the problem of unavailability of skilled workforce, the Indian Plastics Federation (IPF) is coming up with a skill development and knowledge centre in Sankrail in Howrah.
This centre will impart skills to around 3,000 people every year. The project will cost Rs 25 crore and is expected to be completed by 2013-end. “We are still finalizing the architectural details of the project. We have got land for it already from WBIDC,” KK Seksaria, past president of IPF and an executive committee member of the body said.
WBIDC is the nodal agency to support economic development in the state. The industry members said there is dearth of skilled manpower in this sector. Bengal contributes around 6-7% of the total plastics produced in the country. The total production of the country is in tune of 8 million tonne per annum. The entire eastern zone produces 8-10% of the total plastic produce of the country.
In Bengal, atleast 2 lakh people are directly engaged with the plastics industry and another one lakh people are indirectly engaged with it. There are around 500-600 mid-sized and big plastics company in the state and around 1,000 micro-level companies. Out of this, 50% is skilled labourers, 25% are semi-skilled and the rest are support staff.
IPF has tied up with Globsyn Skills Development Pvt Ltd to impart training in this centre. The duration of the course would vary from six weeks to one year. “At present, we are now concentrating on small duration courses and later on we will start the one year course,” Rahul Dasgupta, director, Globsyn Skills Development said.
He said the industry is facing high attrition rate and the primary focus of the institution is to train people in multi-skill. “We are formulating courses to train them in multi-skill so that they can get better remuneration. Most of the courses are on operational level skill as the retention issue is highest in that bracket,” Dasgupta said.
People will be trained in blow moulding, roto moulding and injection moulding, beside mould making and maintenance. The institution is also setting up a testing facility in association with Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology, Seksaria said.
