Chamber of Small Industry Associations (COSIA) an apex body of MSMEs and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), GmbH federal enterprise commissioned by Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Development (BMZ) Government of Germany on 24th August, 2021 has signed an MOU to promote GIZ’s Indo-German Program for Vocational Education and Training (IGVET) among COSIA’s members and affiliates.
With more than 250 million young people expected to join the Indian labour market in the next 15 years, sustainable economic development and job creation are at the top of the political agenda. India’s ambition to become a globally leading manufacturing hub requires qualified workers in sufficient numbers. To produce a workforce of adequate quality and quantity the Indian Government, therefore, promotes the active involvement of private enterprises for establishing a demand-driven, workplace-based vocational education and training (VET) system. Acknowledging the advantages of the German VET model in this regard, the Indian Government has expressed interest to incorporate elements of the German system into the Indian VET context.
In line with this policy objective, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has signed an implementation agreement with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), GmbH, to jointly implement the Indo-German Programme for Vocational Education and Training (IGVET). The IGVET aims at bringing the actors of the public and private sectors together to facilitate the creation and improvement of cooperative, workplace-based VET in India. To this end, IGVET provides advisory and guidance to local cooperation between public entities and private sector organizations, such as chambers and associations like COSIA.
For signing the MoU, COSIA was represented by its Hon. Jt. Treasurer and Head of Skill Development Wing Mr. Nipun Mehta and also present on behalf of COSIA were Mr. Purushottam Agwan (VP), Mr. Ninad Jaywant (Hon. Gen. Secretary), Mr. Dharmu Vanjani (Hon. Treasurer) and Mr. Eknath Sonawane (Executive Secretary). GIZ IGVET was represented by Dr. Rodney Reviere (Project Head) and Mr. Tarun Mhaske (Technical Advisor).