Coimbatore,Tirupur, Salem, Madurai, cities known globally for their textile and apparel units, need no introduction. Accounting for one-third of the nationwide textile businesses, Tamil Nadu's textiles and apparel industry provides direct employment to over five million people.


But,with changing times, as high economic growth and industrialization set new standards for a skilled work-force, the state's textiles and apparel sector iswitnessing huge demand for qualified professionals suited for the industry.This is where ATDC, with its expertise in training highly skilled personnel for the sector, comes in.


From October 2010, the ATDC SMART Centres/Skill Camps began making their presencefelt in the state Egmore, Tirupur, Dharmapuri, Peramballur, Permakudi, Erode,Salem, Guindy (Chennai)...

From the word go, these ATDC-Smart Centres started skilling and upskilling people sothat they could hit the ground running when they join the textiles and apparel industry.


On July 3, 2012, in a crucial meeting where senior state and ATDC officials met totake stock of the impressive ATDC-SMART journey in Tamil Nadu, several keyideas were mooted to further the initiative.


The two key suggestions were:

  • Open 22 more ATDC-SMART Centres in state by 2015.

  • Extend financial support to the ATDC-SMART Centres and sanction stipends to ATDC-SMART trainees.

"The state government could support the Integrated Skill Development Schemes (ISDS) operations by opening 22 SMART Centres in the next two three years," Mr. V. Srinivas, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, told Thiru. G. Santhanam, Secretary to Government, Handlooms, Handicrafts, Textile and Khadi department, Government of Tamil Nadu, in a meeting recently.

Mr. Srinivas, who visited ATDC-SMART Egmore and ATDC-SMART Guindy Centres on June 1, reiterated that the state government should continue ` 2000 stipend to those trainees hailing from poor backgrounds during the training period (78-90 days) so that they can meet their daily expenses.


The state Government, in addition to skilling the freshers and upskilling the workforce, is keen on getting them employed in the garment manufacturing and export companies and domestic garment manufacturing companies at the shop floor level.


"To reduce the unemployment menace, both the state government and ATDC Centres/ Skill Camps are working together," said Mr. T.C> Balasubramanian, Registrar (South), ATDC-SMART Guindy Centre.


A new skillscape is emerging in the state which has the largest workforce engaged in the Textile-Apparel value chain. Over 27 percent of the 110 million people, directly or indirectly employed in the country, are in Tamil Nadu.


With such smart moves, the "Textile Valley" is set to reach new heights in the future.


This article was originally published in the SMART NEWZINE magazine, Autumn Issue, 2012, published by ATDC