OdishaPlus Bureau
Sharpening Skills, Shaping Young Minds
World Skill Center, India’s premier skill development institution is a one of its kind facility at state capital Bhubaneswar in Odisha. Established under the ‘Skilled In Odisha’ initiative, students from Govt ITIs & Polytechnics across the state are trained in advanced skills to pursue promising careers in the global skills arena.
The ultramodern infrastructure at World Skill Center (WSC) boasts of advance labs, cutting edge soft life & soft skills training, design thinking, AR/VR equipped modern library setup, sports & wellness etc. It imparts skill training to students on a finishing school model in two disciples namely School of Engineering and School of Services.
Apart from advanced courses and skills, selected students are given a chance to pursue short term Student Exchange Program & 6-month paid internship opportunities at a technologically advanced destination like Singapore. In line with the same, 40 students from various courses in School of Engineering were sent to Singapore who have returned recently. The students shared their experience after completing the 2-week Student Exchange Program.
Prior to the journey, each one was filled with excitement as they would experience their first air trip abroad.
“This international experience has paved the way for my career advancement”, said Itishree Rout. Itishree hails from Bhadrak & is presently pursuing Electrical Technology at World Skill Center. She learnt operations of Robots during the Exchange Program. During the program, she used her technical & soft skills which she learnt at WSC. Itishree was exposed to various industries as a part of the program. The additional skills acquired during the 2-week program will help her boost her career.
The ‘Student Exchange Program’ is an annual initiative facilitated by an agreement between Odisha Skill Development Authority OSDA, Govt of Odisha and the Govt of Singapore. Under this agreement, 40 students from the World Skill Center are chosen and sent to Institute of Technical Education (ITE) in Singapore for a two-week period.
“Being chosen for the student exchange program among numerous peers filled me with immense gratitude. I leveraged the knowledge acquired at WSC and learnt additional skills during the two-week program,” narrates Biswajit Parida. Biswajit comes from Jajpur district is a student of 1-year advanced course in ‘Air Conditioning & Refrigeration’ at World Skill Center.
Throughout the program, students from the World Skill Center interacted with local students and underwent additional training sessions focused on drone technology & robotics automation at ITE. Additionally, they have explored various facets of the modern city Singapore through organized visits to different locations.
“I’m delighted to welcome the students back from Singapore. I can see them happy & satisfied in their SEP at Singapore. They have learnt technology & understood the culture & working environment. This exposure is very important for students as these experiences boost their soft skills & tech skills. What they have learnt in WSC, they can now understand how these things will be applied in the industrial environment & job applications”, said Principal Shri T Thambyrajah.
“This opportunity was filled with meeting new people, interacting with them, exploring the new traditions & cultures. I am thankful to the Life Skills classes which groomed well to interact with the international faculty”, said Jagdish Prasad Mahapatra who hails from Puri. He is presently pursuing Mechanical & Electrical Services at World Skill Center.
The state-of-the-art skill training at World Skill Center is facilitated in collaboration with technical partner, ITE Education Services (ITEES), Singapore. The confidence gained by students as part of the Exchange Program shall enhance their chances for future placement into various companies.