SINADE: Strengthening Vocational Education and Training in Industrial Clusters in North India

The cluster based approach improves cooperation between all providers of vocational education and training. With the SINADE project, bfz experts strengthen industry-based approaches of dual education and training in industrial clusters in North India. bfz cooperates with three clusters from different manufacturing sectors in India, particularly from the metal-working industry in Lucknow, Nagpur and in the metropolitan area of Delhi.

In addition to organisations, companies form part of the clusters, which are to be involved more effectively into the already existing vocational education systems. Furthermore, public providers and institutions, i.e. Industrial Training Institutes, shall be integrated into the clusters and cooperation shall be improved among all providers. Thus, demand-oriented local vocational education is strengthened in order to generate skilled personnel that qualify for the requirements of modern industrial production.

Addressing shortage of skilled workers with practice-oriented vocational education and training system

The fast-growing Indian industry is confronted with a shortage of skilled workers. Indian companies recruit new staff mainly “off the street“ or from public training institutes, which equip their students with only little technical qualification. At the same time, more and more young people enter the labour market without finding a job they can live on. 

The Indian Government is aware of the issue. Several educational systems have existed since the 1950ies which, however, have produced only few results due to failing participation of the businesses and to failing cooperation between the various actors and providers. This is where SINADE comes in.

Indian vocational education providers trained in Germany

A cluster-based approach has been chosen in order to reach and maintain better cooperation between the various providers of vocational training in India. All other “top-down“ approaches have failed so far due to the enormous size of the country. Part of the project will be both training and consulting sessions by bfz experts in India as well as trainings of Indian vocational training providers in Germany. To this end, ten experts will be selected from each cluster for qualification in Germany on the topic “Process and Management of vocational training“. After returning to India, German experts keep up the coaching while integrating the Indian experts into the clusters.

Furthermore, provision is made for developing instruments for transferring experience made in this project to other clusters in India.

The project is supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Project duration from August 2019 till July 2022. 

Funding:

Partners:

• ACMA (Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India)
• LECA (Lucknow Excellence Cluster Association)
• Nagpur Auto and Engineering Cluster