Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday inaugurated the World Skill Centre (WSC), a premier advanced skill training institute, here.

It has been set up at a budget of nearly Rs 1,342.2 crore.

World Skill Centre is being modelled around leading TVET Institute, ITE (Institute of Technical Education) Singapore and seeks inspiration from World Skills, Russia and GIFTS (Global Institute for Transferring Skills), South Korea, said a statement.

WSC is established under the Odisha Skill Development Project assisted by the Asian Development Bank with ITE Education Services (ITEES), Singapore as knowledge partner.

Inaugurating the centre, the Chief Minister said, “Odisha has made rapid strides in skill development in the last five years. We have created new avenues for our youth to compete with their counterparts anywhere. Our aim is to meet their aspirations, to make them globally employable.”

He also said that the state government is intensely investing in the future of youth by creating infrastructure and mechanism for making them future ready.

“WSC will significantly accelerate this endeavour by providing advance skill training to our youth and prepare them for competing at global level,” he added.

Subroto Bagchi, Chairman of Odisha Skill Development Authority (OSDA) highlighted the achievements of “Skilled-in-Odisha” during the last five years and emphasized the need to expand skill development efforts to the next level, reaching every village.

He emphasised the need for a holistic approach in providing better opportunities for skill development to make the children aware of career choices and youth globally employable.

He also said that the state will create Odisha Skill Vision 2030 and the same will guide future efforts of all implementing departments.

World Skill Centre would run long-term manufacturing and services programmes as a finishing school for the best among the ITI and Polytechnic students as well as serve as a centre for capacity building for ITI and Polytechnic teachers.

The World Skill Centre is going to be the nodal agency for preparing Odisha’s youth for the World Skills Competition. The other key role for WSC will be to act as centre for industry partnership and landing point for industries in Odisha for their employment needs.

Finally, the World Skill Centre will be nodal agency of the state for state chapter of world skills and will prepare Odisha’s youth for global glory.