17 January 2014
More than 100 Australians, the largest ever Australian skills delegation, travelled to India to build business networks, share information and develop future directions for partnerships in skills development.
The Australia India Education Council’s (AIEC) Skills Working Group led the largest ever Australian skills delegation from 27 – 29 November 2013, to India to attend the India Australia Skills Mission.
During the visit six memoranda of understanding were signed between Indian and Australian training providers and skills councils during the mission, including:
TAFE South Australia, Heraud Education Trust and Amity University
TAFE NSW Hunter Institute and Bhullar Education Services (XLT Jaypee)
SkillsTech Australia, AVTEG and India’s Plumbing and Telecom Sector Skills Councils
Heraud Education Trust, Amity University and India’s Automotive Skill Development Council
Australia’s Construction and Property Industry Skill Council and AVTEG
Southbank Institute of TAFE and Sannam S4 for their new office in Delhi.
The three-day programme included the second annual India-Australia Skills conference, Training and Industry, Bridging the Skills Divide, as well as the third National Conference of India’s Confederation of Indian Industry.
The delegation included representatives from Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutions, private skills training providers, industry peak bodies, industry skills councils, and Commonwealth and state/territory government agencies.
Minister Pallam Raju, India’s Minister for Human Resource Development, welcomed the collaboration of Australia’s industry skills councils with India’s sector skills councils in the areas of mining, telecommunication, retail, agriculture and media/entertainment.
India plans to train 500 million people by 2022 and the skills mission was an important opportunity for Australia to showcase its expertise in quality skills training and delivery standards involving government, industry and education providers.
Dr Pallam Raju, India’s Minister for Human Resource Development, addresses the India-Australia Skills Conference.