India’s technical education and skilling ecosystem is undergoing a major transformation, driven by the demand for practically trained, industry-ready talent. As technologies evolve and Industry 4.0 reshapes workplaces, institutions play a critical role in preparing youth with the right blend of hands-on skills and future-focused learning. With over six decades of experience, NTTF has been at the forefront of this change; bridging the skill gap, strengthening industry partnerships, and creating sustainable pathways for upward mobility.
To understand this journey in depth and explore NTTF’s strategic vision, innovative learning model, and contributions to India’s skill landscape, we spoke with Mr. Ravi Tennety, Managing Director, NTTF, on the occasion of the institution’s 66th Foundation Day.
Below are a few excerpts from our conversation. You can watch the full video on our YouTube channel.
Q. What is the most important strategic goal for NTTF in the next three years, and how will it impact technical education in India?
A. Let me begin with a quick overview of India’s vocational education landscape. Today, it is highly fragmented; with ITIs, polytechnics, engineering colleges, and various diploma and certificate programs all operating in parallel. The term “skill” itself is interpreted differently across institutions, and this creates inconsistency in how training is delivered.
One of the core challenges in this ecosystem is the clear mismatch between industry demand and the skills supplied by training institutions. While industries know the competencies they need, the supply side does not always align with those expectations.
This is where NTTF is uniquely positioned. Over the next three years, our most significant strategic goal is to consolidate all our programs into a unified, structured ecosystem. We want to create a predictable, streamlined talent pipeline that connects ITIs, diploma programs, engineering institutions, and industry-led initiatives.
We currently offer diplomas, Learn and Grow (LEX) programs, sector-specific training, and short-term courses. Our aim is to integrate these into one cohesive framework so that no matter which program a student comes through, their skill levels and industry readiness remain consistent.
This includes partnering with ITIs to improve their skilling standards, introducing practical internships for engineering students, and securing NCVT and AICTE approvals for enhanced mobility and recognition.
Ultimately, the goal is straightforward: every learner coming from NTTF should graduate with a uniform, industry-ready skill set, regardless of their entry point. This consolidation will help bridge the demand–supply gap and contribute to a more coordinated and effective technical education system in India.
Q. How has NTTF’s six-decade journey shaped the country’s skilled workforce and economic progress?
A. Over the years, more than one lakh students have completed our in-campus diploma programs, and we consistently achieve 100% placements; our placement season practically ends as soon as it begins.
In addition, 30,000 to 40,000 learners have completed industry-led diploma programs while working, and they too have been successfully placed. Our alumni base includes over 7,000 professionals working abroad and more than 600 successful entrepreneurs.
NTTF’s contribution to the manufacturing sector goes beyond numbers. We have set benchmarks in practical, process-based training, and many industries now model their own skilling programs on our approach. In many ways, we have established a standard that the broader vocational ecosystem is still working toward.
However, the demand is enormous; nearly 10 million people enter the job market every year, and the industry alone needs around one million skilled workers annually. No single institution can meet this scale. That’s why we are committed to sharing our expertise, processes, and learnings to help build a much larger pool of skilled professionals, especially in emerging and future skill areas.
Q. How is NTTF preparing to embed AI, IoT, robotics, and other future technologies into its training programs?
A. The transition from traditional sectors like manufacturing and electronics to areas such as AI, IoT, robotics, and smart automation cannot happen overnight; and it doesn’t need to. Legacy industries are themselves evolving and gradually integrating these emerging technologies, and we must keep pace with that evolution.
Our approach is simple: learn directly from the industry. Instead of relying only on classroom instruction or webinars, we place our teams on the shop floors of leading companies. For example, in the solar sector, our trainers learned processes firsthand at Adani Solar in Mundra, from wafer-making to ingot manufacturing; and this real-time industry learning is now embedded into our training model.
A similar shift is happening in areas like AI and mechatronics. Earlier, they seemed like parallel domains, but with increasing automation and smart manufacturing, the lines are merging. Robotics systems today learn through AI, adapting to variables like weight, force, and movement through sensors and machine learning.
To stay ahead, we are working closely with automation and AI companies to create integrated projects that combine robotics, AI, mechatronics, and smart factory concepts.
In essence, industry is our classroom, and continuous on-ground learning is what keeps our curriculum future-ready.
Q. Could you please tell us about the steps NTTF is planning to take to expand diversity and inclusion, especially for PWD learners?
A. Diversity and inclusion are core to NTTF’s mission. We operate as an equal opportunity employer and an equal opportunity skilling institution, without any discrimination based on region, background, or demographic factors. We believe in “catching them young,” and our 10th-pass students have consistently outperformed expectations; even getting selected over MTech candidates in national skill competitions.
We also place strong emphasis on supporting learners with disabilities. Every CSR proposal we make includes our PWD initiatives, and at our Electronic City centre alone, over 60 hearing- or speech-impaired students are currently training. Many of them have gone on to become shop-floor leads because of their exceptional focus and discipline.
To strengthen this further, we have partnered with Atypical Advantage, an organisation founded by a PWD entrepreneur, to enhance communication and soft skills for our PWD cohorts while we handle the technical and functional training. Together, we have successfully placed more than 60 such candidates at Godrej, where they are performing extremely well.
Overall, these initiatives are not only impactful but deeply rewarding, as the enthusiasm and success of PWD learners reflect the true value of inclusive skilling.
Q. Could you share an example of an industry collaboration that resulted in meaningful curriculum or productivity improvements?
A. For us, every industry partnership turns into a success story. We began working with sectors where we initially had no prior experience in pharmaceuticals, aeronautics, solar; yet today we run full-fledged programs with leading organisations like Tata Advanced Systems and Adani.
This is possible because NTTF has a strong manufacturing foundation, highly capable faculty, and the ability to adapt quickly to new technologies. Across industries, the fundamentals of working with machines remain constant; what changes is the application.
To bridge that gap, we place our trainers directly on the shop floors of partner companies. We learn from their processes, from their experts, from TOT programs, and even from equipment suppliers. Over time, these learnings are built into our systems, and we design pedagogy that matches the exact needs of that sector.
In short, we learn first deeply and practically, before we teach, and that is what makes every collaboration impactful.
Q. How will NTTF support Make in India by strengthening standards in technical training and expanding its contribution to the skilled workforce?
A. There is a huge national demand for practically oriented skilled manpower. It’s no longer enough to simply have “skills” on paper; industries need people who can work confidently on real systems from day one. That is why every NTTF center is designed to replicate an actual shop floor, and we continuously update our labs with the latest technologies such as additive manufacturing, 3D printing, advanced HMIs, and modern automation tools. This ensures that students face no shock when they enter the industry.
While not every institution can build this level of legacy or depth, we are committed to sharing our expertise. We actively support ITI upgradation projects where CSR partners adopt ITIs, and we function as the knowledge partner. Our role includes recommending industry-relevant equipment, designing the curriculum, and training the faculty; essentially creating a mini version of NTTF wherever we go.
We focus on strengthening pedagogy, curriculum design, and delivery so that the training quality improves across the ecosystem. As more stakeholders recognize NTTF’s contribution to India’s skilling landscape, we expect greater collaboration from industry leaders, policymakers, and philanthropists to build a much larger and truly effective skilling ecosystem.
In addition, several state governments now send their polytechnic and engineering faculty to NTTF for training in lab management, pedagogy, and foundational technical skills. With better infrastructure and well-trained instructors, the NTTF approach can reach more regions and institutions, strengthening technical education across the country.
Q. Is there any message or advice you’d like to share with young students in our audience?
A. I would like to leave a message especially for the younger audience. We should stop pigeonholing education based on labels like degree, diploma, or ITI. What truly matters is the quality of training and the skills a student gains. At NTTF, our students are placed within the first month of the placement season, earning between ₹3–3.5 lakhs to even ₹12 lakhs in some cases.
We often underestimate pathways like diplomas or ITI, but a 10th-pass student can grow to become a shop-floor lead and, over a decade, can earn double the salary of many who take traditional routes. That is the power of a strong, skill-based career path.
So my advice is simple: focus on acquiring real skills and choose the path that matches your aspirations. When skills and ambition align, the market has more than enough opportunities to build a rewarding career—regardless of the degree you hold.
