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The Cane & Bamboo Technology Centre has been selected by the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) for the implementation of the National Vocational Training System (NVTS) in the entire North Eastern Region. In this regard, both CBTC and GTZ has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding under which the GTZ/NVTS will support the CBTC in developing regional network in the North East India for effective use of bamboo to promote livelihood options and skills for men and women for sustainable employment or self employment.

This technical cooperation will address various issues regarding creation of job opportunities in the bamboo sector. Quality training services will be established for meeting the needs in the informal sector. In keeping with the vision of creating employment at doorstep, focus will be on development and implementation of demand/market oriented curricula. Innovative training methodologies will be developed and implemented under the GTZ/NVTS scheme to attract workers in the informal sector to learn new skills, which would enhance their employability in the bamboo processing industry in the North East. New training fields will be identified and created. To ensure greater reach, a system of collaboration, linkages and networking with relevant stakeholders will be developed.

The prime concern of employers is to employ workers who possess standardized and approved skills and with due certification. To address this, a credible system for skill testing and certification in the identified fields of work for pilot implementation will be developed. The implementation will be through the centrally sponsored scheme of Directorate General of Employment and Training, Ministry of Labour, Govt of India and the training/skill upgradation courses will be conducted in the existing training institutes in the North-East to cater to the needs of bamboo related skills. The CBTC which originally came up in 2000 as a UNDP and Department of Science & Technology, Govt of India project is presently implementing the North East Regional Bamboo Mission (NERBAM) of North Eastern Council.

Upon the commencement of the NVTS in North East, it will be monitored and documented so that the process can be replicated elsewhere. The various activities envisaged under NVTS will be conducted until December 2007 and will be restricted mostly to North East and in bamboo related skills. Depending on the success of the pilot phase of NVTS and if the system framework so developed under it is accepted for extension to other fields of work, it will become a reference module for implementation of future proposals of GTZ for promotion of the informal sector in India.

To implement the NVTS in North East a two day operational planning workshop was jointly conducted by the CBTC and GTZ on 8th and 9th June in Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) in Guwahati. The inaugural session of the two day GTZ-CBTC operational planning workshop was inaugurated by Mr.S. Dkhar, Regional Director, Development Commissioner (Handicrafts). The participants were welcomed by Mr. Kamesh Salam, Director, Cane and Bamboo Technology Centre, Guwahati The Deputy Director, Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) Mr. P.K. Khullar also attended the workshop. The Director of Industries & Commerce, Tripura Mr. Abhisek Chandra, spoke about the urgency of involving the workers from the informal sector in the bamboo processing industry in North East.

The NVTS was represented by Ms Anita Sharma, Senior Technical Advisor, NVTS. Dr. Cherian Joseph, HR Consultant facilitated the discussion. The leading international expert on bamboo processing skills Mr. Josef Eickenseer, Consultant, Don Bosco also participated.

The deliberations and focused group meetings during the workshop were attended by Mr. S.Keppen, Addl Director, Employment & Craftsmen Training, Government of Nagaland. The State of Meghalaya was represented by Mr. Arup Nath, Principal, Industrial Training Institute, Shillong. Father Paul Kuttala, Director, Don Bosco Technical School, Shillong , and Father Cyril Tirkey, Rural Resource & Training Centre, represented the stakeholders from the Non-Governmental sector for the implementation of the NVTS. The state of Mizoram was represented by Mr. Lalngaihsaka , Industrial Training Institute, Aizawl. The state of Arunachal Pradesh was represented by Mr. Haj Dodung, Deptt of Textiles & Handicrafts, Government of Arunachal Pradesh. The other stakeholder organizations which participated were North Eastern Handloom and Handicrafts Development Corporation (NEHHDC), State Institute of Rural Development (SIRD) and were represented respectively by Tapan Kr. Sarma , AMM(HC, HL, PR) and Devajit Dutta. The General Manager, DIC, Kokrajhar Mr. H.K. Sarmah also extended his inputs for the successful implementation of the NVTS.  

The two day workshop concluded with the emergence of a detailed operational plan which will be adopted for the implementation of the NVTS in all the North Eastern States. In addition to the existing basic three months course prepared by the CBTC on bamboo processing skills, which will be introduced in selected ITIs across different North Eastern Region, an Advanced Course has also been prepared by the CBTC for introduction. The running of the two courses in parallel will create a sizeable workforce equipped with basic and advanced bamboo processing skills for employment purpose in the bamboo processing units located in North East as well as in rest of India. Upon the completion of the skill upgradation courses, the trainees will be tested and certified by CBTC which will ensure emergence of a workforce who possess industry standard skills.