Volvo Construction Equipment India organised an operator training-cum- Infrastructure Equipment Skill Council (IESC) certification programme in India for wheel loader and excavator operators.

India will need around 76.5 million strong workforce for its building, construction and real estate sector, according to a report by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). Shortage of talent in the construction industry is a long-term problem that Vcolvo Construction Equipment is working to address through better education and training. The company recently hosted a mega operator training programme in Barbil, Odisha.

The four-day event from April 9 to 12 was a complete training and certification programme for wheel loader and excavator operators in Barbil. The training was conducted by Pasha Khader, a Volvo CE operator trainer authorised by IESC and further supported by teams from Volvo CE and Pollutech Engineering, the local dealer. The company chose Barbil, a region with the largest deposit of iron ore and manganese ore in the world, as the training site because there are over 300 Volvo CE machines working in the region.

"As India continues to invest in infrastructure, we are facing a shortage of skilled talent to help build the infrastructure. As a construction equipment manufacturer, we wanted to do our part to support our industry through better education and training," said Dimitrov Krishnan, Vice President and Head of Volvo CE India.

Over 600 operators attended the training programme, which raised awareness of machine safety, operation and maintenance to optimise productivity. The programme also emphasised the importance of environmental care and machine quality.

Operators who completed the training received IESC certification that recognises their knowledge on machine operations, which in turn could help them secure employment. This certification is also recognised by insurance companies, which is an important aspect as customers purchase insurance policies for risk coverage of the machines.

"Through this event, we will turn into better operators, the focus was on learning how to improve fuel efficiency and raise the machine productivity," said Tarun Sen Manto, an L220H wheel loader operator from a local customer team. He added, "We also learnt about safety points like the right way to enter the machine, importance of seat belts, and how to stay safe and keep the machine safe as well."