JCB training centres have enabled to bridge the gap between the demand and supply of new talents and trained operators to improve the productivity of the machines for better ROI.

So runs the proverbial phrase - ?Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; show him how to catch fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.? One can debate on the origin and true meaning of the oft-quoted saying, but one may not fail to understand the very basic suggestion that it makes prepare one to meet the challenges, on a long term basis. That?s what JCB India continues to do right from its inception touching the lives of thousands, giving them hope of having a better tomorrow.

JCB plays an instrumental part in training young people as operators, thus creating livelihood for many. The company-along with its dealer network-has set up 12 fully functional operational training centres across India (Ballabgarh, Chhindwara, Jamshedpur, Madurai, Patna, Kathmandu, Jalandhar, Pune, Raipur, Silchar, Kendrapara and Kharagpur), and have trained over 20,000 young men till date.

Speaking about his experience at the training programme, Bulanath Tupe from Maharashtra, says, ?When I got the opportunity to join the JCB operator training programme, it was like a dream come true. This course has definitely changed my life. JCB has given me professional success and personal harmony. ?My JCB? has helped my children get better education. What more can I ask for!?

The course developed by JCB India is primarily customised for the trainees according to their needs and requirements. The course module is simple in nature; it includes classroom training on machine operation and maintenance, features, etc, along with practical hands-on training. Apart from focusing on the quality and productivity aspects, the trainer also emphasises on the safety aspect of operating the machine.

?JCB India is extremely proud of its operator training programmes. These programmes are run on a not-for-profit basis and a nominal fee is charged to cover up the operational expense. Through these programmes, the scope to bring employment to the youth is immense,? said Vipin Sondhi, MD & CEO, JCB India. He added, ?A chhotu is a helper who cleans the machine and aspires to be an operator one day. We train thousands of such chhotus across India. Their aspirations take them to even higher levels as many of them are today machine owners.?

Skilled manpower and knowledge are key factors for the economic and social growth of any country. India is the second largest English-speaking nation with a strong base of middle-class consumers. Our biggest strength is that we are a young nation in a developing economy and we need to use this opportunity. A young country means having more innovative minds, if skilled properly. To convert the growing challenges into opportunities, India needs talented, trained, certified and skilled manpower. However, only 2 per cent of the total workforce in India has undergone skills training at present. The infrastructure sector too faces a huge shortage of skilled manpower. While the government has put an impetus on skills training, a lot of work needs to be done to ensure India?s young population is trained and skilled. As the infrastructure sector sees growth, the construction equipment will also pick up thus generating employment for skilled manpower. According to experts-by 2020-the construction equipment industry will need an estimated 100,000 trained operators and 300,000 trained mechanics.

Thousands of operators have benefited from the JCB operator training programme. Many operators have ventured overseas and are today successfully operating machines in the Middle East or other parts of the world. Several operators have graduated and become machine owners as well thus bringing prosperity to them and their families. Since the beginning, JCB has touched the lives of millions of people in the country. It has given them the hope of having a better tomorrow.