Pilot batch enrolled for skill certification get placement letters

New Delhi: More than 50 retired Indian Air Force personnel were handed out job letters and skill certificates on Wednesday, after they successfully completed training in medical, electronics and automotive sectors.

The first-ever placement ceremony for 56 retiring IAF personnel through skill certification is part of a pilot project undertaken after a pact between the Ministries of Defence and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship.

The personnel were handed over skill certificates conforming to the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) and placement letters at a ceremony here in the presence of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Rajiv Pratap Rudy here.

"We are certain to accelerate this partnership in the next couple of years and not a single ex-servicemen will have to worry about his career post retirement", Parrikar said.

As part of the pilot project, the 56 retiring Air Force personnel were mobilized to undergo training programmes post mapping of their trades to National Occupational Standards.

The sector skill councils provided them training as Trainers and Assessors in three sectors medical, electronics and automotive, which was followed by their assessment & certification.

"Every year 5,000 air warriors retire from the IAF who are between the ages of 32 to 47. There is a keen focus on utilising their services as trainers and assessors in skill development ecosystem, considering the acute scarcity of experienced trainers in the country", Rudy said.

The three institutions identified for training were Mechanical Transport Training Institute, Electronics Training Institute and Medical Training Centre. The move is in line with an agreement signed between the two Ministries in July 2015 to partner in various skill development initiatives.

The pact seeks to provide additional skills to around 60,000 service personnel who retire every year at a comparatively young age in the ranks of Officer, JCO, NCO or Jawans.

PTI