Bhubaneswar: A delegation led by Suresh Natarajan, Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) & Education Services (ITEES), Singapore had a meeting with Odisha Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja at Lokseva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar on Monday.
In the meeting held, focus was laid on the IT-ITeS sector and proposal for semiconductor training because of the growing demand for skilled manpower in the semiconductor and related fields, both in Odisha and across the country, driven by the expanding semiconductor industry and its critical role in powering emerging technologies.
This meeting was held following the visit of the Prime Minister of India to Singapore and his interaction with World Skill Centre interns regarding their international exposure for skill enhancement and the subsequent recent visit of the Odisha Chief Minister along with the Minister of Skill Development & Technical Education Department and Odisha Chief Secretary to Singapore.
With the Odisha government’s strategic focus on fostering industrial growth and positioning the state as a hub for advanced manufacturing, the development of a skilled workforce in this sector has become a top priority. This aligns with the broader vision of creating a robust ecosystem under the ‘Skilled in Odisha’ initiative, aimed at meeting the talent requirements of high-tech industries. By investing in specialized training programmes and forging industry partnerships, Odisha is poised to become a key player in the semiconductor value chain, contributing to the nation’s self-reliance in this crucial sector.
In the meeting held, along with the delegates from Singapore, the Principal Secretary of Skill Development & Technical Education Department, Odisha NBS Rajput, Principal Secretary of the Department of Electronics & IT Vishal Kumar Dev, Chief Skills Officer, Government of Odisha and Additional Secretary, SDTE Department-cum- COO, World Skill Center Pinaki Patnaik were present during the discussion.
The delegates expressed their satisfaction with the ongoing programmes and emphasized the need for continuous global partnerships to further enhance Odisha’s skilling ecosystem.
CEO, ITEES and Chief Skill Officer also emphasized this need and will submit a comprehensive proposal soon for IT-ITeS and semiconductor sector training.
