The Apparel Training & Design Centre (ATDC) network, under the aegis of AEPC has emerged as the largest vocational skill provider for Apparel Sector in India and also the preferred source for skilled shop-floor workforce and different tiers of professionals, in its journey of “Skilling the Apparel Sector”.
ATDC India’s largest vocational training provider for the apparel sector in Karnataka is adopting a ‘holistic’ approach towards developing the apparel and textiles industry next to information technology through the Suvarna Vastra Neethi (Textile Policy), Apparel Parks, Cluster–based projects, Apparel Training & Design Centre –SMART Centres/Skill Camps and Road shows.
With this, comes the challenge-to train unskilled workforce and provide better training to make the skilling more globally-competitive in an environment where new technology is the buzzword. The current format of Skill Development and making skilled manpower available to the apparel industry has been quite successful in Karnataka.
With the existing Apparel Training & Design Centre in different parts of the state Viz., Bangalore, Anekal, Tumkur, Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Chinthamani, Ramnagar, Maddur, Hubli & Gadag , all these centers have trained above 12,000 candidates in various facets of garment/apparel manufacturing.
Considering the huge demand and supply of skilled workforce in the ‘Bengaluru Garment Cluster’ ATDC would be expanding its foot prints in setting up of ATDC SMART Centres in and around Bangalore Urban and Rural. In collaboration with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the ATDC SMART Centres are being established in Adugodi – Bangalore (South), Malleswaram & Nagarbhavi in Bangalore – West.
Many more Apparel Training & Design Centre SMART Centres / Skill Camps are in the pipeline proposed at 1.Bellary, 2.Bidar, 3.Gulbarga, 4.Bijapur, 5.Belgaum, 6.Shimoga,7.Koppal, 8.Davangere, 9.Chitraduga, 10.Hassan, 11.Mangalore 12.Mallavalli & 13.Mysore.
The ATDC SMART Centre in Adugodi was inaugurated by Sri.Ramalinga Reddy, MLA, BTM Layout Constituency on 01/01/2013 in the presence of Sri. Siddaiah, IAS Commissioner, BBMP and Dr.Trilok Chandra IAS, Additional Commissioner BBMP-West and Sri.S.M.Murugesh Mudaliar, Corporator (W.No.147) Adugodi. Chairman AEPC Dr. A Sakthivel gave the inaugural address.
Speaking on the inauguration Chairman AEPC said, “ATDC has the largest Pan-India vocational training network in the Apparel Sector having 25 ATDC Community Colleges offering 6 months Courses, 1 year Diploma & 2 year Advance Diploma programmes & 128 SMART Centres & Skill Camps offering 2-4 months courses covering the major trades like Sewing Machine Operator, Finishers & Packers, Quality Checkers, Machine Technicians, etc. under its banner.”
Under the Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS) of MoT, GoI the ATDC has been selected as a Nodal Agency for implementing the ISDS on a Pan-India basis since February 2011. ATDC-SMART Project has already crossed the target of candidates set by the Government of India for 2011-12.
The visionary creation of the brand “SMART” (Skills for Manufacturing of Apparel through Research & Training) has proved to be a major success capturing the imagination of Government Authorities and the Apparel Industry, he added.