Skill Development and Vocational Training opportunities in Assam

Have you ever wondered where the aroma and the authenticity in your cup of tea is from? Assam has tea plantations which are prominent in the state. It is also considered as the gateway to the northeast due to which tourism contributes to the development of the state economy. There is always a scope for skill development and employment in the state as it has different industries.

As a known fact, Assam is famous for tea production but along with tea, there are a wider range of other industries and national parks in Assam. These industries enable employment to many, where skilling is the major requirement to gain employment in any sector. Assam also has skill training centres and institutions for people to train them in different sectors.

A walk through the industries and skill requirements in Assam

Let’s go through the major industries and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) that Assam has and how the state is benefiting through them.

Industries play a major role in state’s development in economy and even in employment opportunities. Agriculture industry is the main industry that contributes to the economy.

• Pharmaceuticals and Medical equipment – Key industrial infrastructure in the state
• Oil and Gas – Assam accounts 15% of India’s crude oil output
• Power – 680 MW of Hydropower
• River Transport and Port Township – 15 national waterways pass through Assam
• Information Technology – Govt. planning to develop an IT Park in the state
• Textile, Handloom and Handicrafts – largest producer of gold silk
• Tourism, Hospitality and Wellness – Assam, gateway to the North-Eastern states
• Agri-Horticulture and Food Processing – Single largest tea producer globally

Assam – Industry sectors, Skill initiatives and Skills in demand

Tea Industry

Assam’s highest contribution to the world is its tea. Assam tea is generally Black tea that is grown near sea level and is known for its briskness, strong and malty flavour.

Employment in the tea industry 

Assam has more than 10 lakh tea workers in this sector who work in about 850 big estates. The state produces roughly 55% of India’s tea. The tea belts of Brahmaputra and Barak valleys are home to more than 60 lakh people.

Most of the workforce is involved in the garden. Men are predominantly involved in the factory whereas women are the primary workers in the garden. However, there are garden supervisors at different levels. They are called ‘Sardars.’ They assign work to the labour, supervise and manage time. There are two types of sardars – 

• Chhota Sardar – directly monitors work at the plot and is mainly assigned on daily wages.
• Bada Sardar – oversees the work of a particular area.

Sardars carry a pencil to show workers the exact size of leaves to be plucked. The Mohori assists the field manager to weigh the leaves. He remains in the garden and receives a monthly salary.

Workers in tea plantations usually stay within plantation premises.

• Export – Tea has been a major export item and the state produces more than half of the total tea in India. The net tea exports this year is around 207 million kilograms and the volume of export in 2019-2020 was 252 million kilograms.
• Livelihood – Multiple assets were stated by tea workers as being important to sustaining their livelihoods within the tea landscape. The welfare schemes of tea plantations are ensuring provisions for permanent workers such as subsided rates of rations and tea, medical benefits, housing and land for private farming.

The production techniques and income opportunities to the rural people in Assam are as follows:

• Plantation work – Preparing soil, using fertilizers and supervising the climatic conditions and plucking leaves
• Processing work – crushing, tearing and curling of leaves in the factories
• Auction centres – Tea is packed, tested, blended and branded by tea brokers and tea tasters
• Marketing and Research

In-demand skills to launch a career in the tea industry

The skills that are required to build a career in the domain,

• Leaf plucking
• Knowledge of leaf picking
• Harvesting

Oil and Gas Industry

Assam has the highest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) among other North Indian states and this rising income level is increasing the demand for Oil and Gas products. 98% of crude-oil reserves of the North Eastern region lies in Assam. The demand is further expected to increase with the increasing industrialization in the state.

Oil and Gas industry has three major sectors,

• Upstream – searching for underground or underwater crude oil and natural gas; drilling wells and bringing crude oil or natural gas to the surface.
• Midstream – transportation, storage and marketing of crude or refined petroleum products.
• Downstream – refining crude oil; processing and purifying natural gas; marketing and distributing products extracted from crude oil and natural gas.

Bamboo Industry

Bamboo sector has high demand for its various uses from housing, textiles, paper, handicrafts, lifestyle products etc., There is industry and community-based management of bamboo forest; Harvesting; Collection; Transport; Storage and Processing. Bamboo is used even for medicinal purposes.

Employment in bamboo industry

• Work in clusters of primary processing units. Cross-cutting, Splitting of Bamboo culm, Knot removing, Two-sides planning is the process to be done as a worker.
• Weaving looms
• Entrepreneurship
• Wicker work

In-demand skills to launch a career in the bamboo industry

The skills that are required to build a career in the domain,

• The bamboo handicrafts experts believe that it should be mostly focused on hands-on skills
• Craftsmen should master culture and international trends in weaving
• Handiwork carving
• Sandblasting carving
• Laser carving

There are many artisans and entrepreneurs getting wages through the bamboo sector in rural and tribal areas.

Terracotta Industry

There is a wide range of fascinating terracotta items (also known as red clay work) in Asharikandi craft village under the Devitola Development Block of Dhubri district, Assam.

Employment in Terracotta industry

• Production and Processing
• Administration and management
• Sales and Marketing
• Entrepreneurs in rural areas as potters, handicraftsmen among others.

Skills required

The skills that are required to build a career in the domain,

• Throwing
• Trimming
• Critical Thinking
• Knowledge of design and chemical composition
• Math skills

Unique industries in Assam

There are also other unique industries which prove Assam as the hub for newer and different opportunities for artisans or rural talented youth to become entrepreneurs.

• Bell-metal industry of Sarthebari is the traditional artisan-based industry
• Fireworks craft in Barpeta which is dated back to 100 years
• Jute production – Assam is third largest jute producer in the country
• Jewellery craft – 2.5 lakh artisans are involved in this sector

For more information and details – https://industriescom.assam.gov.in/portlet-innerpage/present-handicrafts-industries-in-assam#main6

• Fish species – 150 species have ornamental importance and 50 species have overseas ornamental value
• Milk processing plants – There are multiple in the state of Assam

Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs)- There are 40 PSUs in Assam in seven different sectors

New initiatives in Logistics Industry

“The Multi Modal Logistic Park (MMLP) at Jogighopa in Assam is the country’s first international Multi-Modal Logistic Park under the Bharatmala Project of the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways, Government of India.” – The Economic Times, 20th October 2020

Government initiatives in skill development in Assam

“With an investment of. Rs. 1000 Crores Assam is all set to come up with Skill university. This project is scheduled to be completed by September 2026. The Government of Assam is also exploring partnership with the United Kingdom etc., for providing sector specific expertise to this University.” – The Economic Times, 15th February 2021

Skill City in Assam

• Skill City will be a Multi Skill Training Centre for imparting Technical and Vocational Education and Training in sectors like Agriculture & Allied, Automotive Engineering, Beauty and Wellness, Construction, Electronics, Healthcare, Hospitality and Tourism, Petrochemicals, Power, Retail, Textile and Apparel, Transport and Logistic, Graphic Design and Technology and International Language and Culture.
• Skill City will be established in collaboration with International Institutes, countries and industries having the expertise and experience in the respective skill domain.

Skill training centres

For people to get employed, skilled and industry ready, Skill based training centres are required.

Below are the few skill centres that play a major role in the development of the employees as well as the industry.

• North East Skill Centre (NESC):  ASDM has signed an MoU with ITEES, Singapore to establish NESC at Guwahati. Sectors – Retail, Beauty & Wellness, Hospitality – Housekeeping, F&B Services. Objective – To offer high quality skills training for people especially the rural youth. For more details – https://skillmissionassam.org/domain-skilling/north-east-skill-centre
• ITI for Divyang (differently-abled)
• Capacity building and Entrepreneurship Development Programme on e-waste management for 8 North East states https://skillmissionassam.org/skill-and-entrepreneurship-development-on-e-waste-management
• Daksha – Digital Access to Knowledge and Skilled Human Resource of Assam- https://asdm.assam.gov.in/frontimpotentdata/daksha-digital-access-to-knowledge-and-skilled-human-resource-of-assam
• Skill Development Institute, Guwahati – Oil India Limited (OIL), under the directive of Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas has set up the Skill Development Institute (SDI),The objective of the SDI is to provide skills to the youths of North East region and enhance their employability. 
• The Directorate of Employment and Craftsmen Training, Assam – under the Skill Employment and Entrepreneurship Department, Govt. of Assam have three wings namely such as Craftsmen Training scheme, Employment Service scheme and Apprenticeship Training. https://itiassam.nic.in/WebInfoCms/Page/Page?PageId=1&LangId=P
• Handloom Training Institute – There are four Handloom Training Institutes under the Directorate of Handloom & Textiles in Assam which impart higher training to skilled and technical persons who can in turn demonstrate weaving, designing etc., to weavers for value added production.
• Handloom Training Centre – The Directorate of Handloom and Textiles is running 102 Handloom Training Centres throughout the State, especially in rural areas to impart training for creating artisans and upgrading the skills on handloom weaving. https://dht.assam.gov.in/portlets/skill-development
• Training and Production Centre – Training Centre (HTC) activities: Training is provided to the 45 trainees every year in Handloom Training Centres with Fly shuttle Frame Loom with Draw-boy, Jacquard Machine and provide stipend to them as per Govt. rate.
• Handloom Production Centre activities- The weavers engaged in Handloom Production Centres are getting monthly wages as per Govt. norms. https://nalbari.gov.in/departments/detail/training-production-centre

Also read: ASDM’s plans to accelerate skill development and enhance employability in Assam https://nationalskillsnetwork.in/asdm-skill-development-assam/

Assam is seen as the green blanket of tea plantations and forests. With the mighty Brahmaputra flowing across the state, Assam gives you a serene feeling. This serene state contributes a lot to its economy through agriculture, oil and gas and many other industries. It also provides employment and entrepreneurship opportunities to the rural people by skilling and training them in different sectors.