L&T earmarks 2000 people training in year
To overcome the problem of scarcity of skilled workers in engineering and construction sectors, Larsen & Toubro Ltd is planning to invest around Rs 100 crore to set up at least six training centres by 2009."We already have a training centre in Chennai and will be expanding it. We are offering three-month courses and are aiming to train around 1,000-2,000 people every year from each of the centres," L&T Ltd Construction President and Board Member K V Rangaswami said.Initially, the company would be setting up centres in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, besides the existing one in Chennai."The land itself would cost around Rs 50 crore, while infrastructure would cost us another Rs 50 crore. In next 2-3 years, we will have all the six centres ready," Rangaswami said.He said once the centres at the metropolitan cities were in place, L&T would then focus on tier-II cities like Coimbatore, Pune and Bhubaneswar.The courses would focus on providing training in different vocations like carpentry, masonry and brickwork, bar bending, steel fixing, plumbing, sanitary, electrical and trade assistance and provide skilled manpower to companies to complete projects at reduced cost, speed and safety.The candidates for the training would be selected through a process of written and practical examinations and an interview. The selected candidates would be provided with stipends, Rangaswami said.
Rangaswami said government of six states were supportive of the scheme and were giving a helping hand by locating people for training.Meanwhile, even rotary clubs in the cities were taking it upon themselves to sponsor students."In our Chennai training centre, the 40 rotary clubs of the city are sponsoring two students each. So, around 80 students are being sponsored by them," Rangaswami said.He said the Centre should take steps in making it mandatory to certify construction workers and look at ways to ensure that at least 20 per cent of the work force in a site were trained."The productivity of the people increases by 10 per cent if they have proper training. Otherwise, a person learns his job while on the job, which affects the productivity," Rangaswami said.
