Twenty-two youngsters from the tribal community in Attappady successfully completed the Plumbing Apprentice Programme (PAP) offered by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Palakkad. They were the second batch of youngsters from Attappady to undergo the training.
The 21-day hands-on training was offered in collaboration with the Technology Innovation Foundation (TECHIN) of IIT Palakkad, the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), and Petronet LNG.
At a valedictory function held at Agali on Thursday, IIT Palakkad Director A. Seshadri Sekhar gave away course certificates and plumbing tool kits to the participants.
Need for skilling
Prof. Sekhar emphasised the responsibility of higher education institutes in spending time and resources for training and upskilling underprivileged communities in the neighbourhood, and ensuring their livelihood opportunities and self-sustenance.
He said focussed vocational upskilling, like PAP training, would boost the nation’s journey in its “Amrit Kaal” with a vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047.
Ashish Gupta, Petronet LNG chief manager for CSR; K. Madhavan Unni, IIT Palakkad administration advisor; Jamshid C., special extension officer of the Integrated Tribal Development Project, Attappady; and Anoop Akkoorath Mana, chief operating officer of TECHIN; spoke.
Tribal youngsters from the Pudur, Agali and Sholayur regions of Attappady took part in the second edition of the PAP. IIT officials said that the participants were given comprehensive training as professional plumbers. “They are now capable of contributing to the focussed mission programmes on water and sanitation as envisioned by the State and Central governments, such as Jal Jeevan Mission, Amruth 2.0, and Swachh Bharath Abhiyan,” said Prof. Sekhar.
Tool kit given
Each participant received a do-it-yourself (DIY) plumbing tool kit with essential tools to support their plumbing journey.
This curated training programme, budgeted at ₹2.7 lakh a batch, was provided free of cost to the most deserving candidates of Attapady through ongoing collaborations of IIT Palakkad with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and a CSR initiative of Petronet LNG Limited.
In the first batch, 20 youngsters from the Mele Aanavayi hamlet in Attapady were given training through a comprehensive one-month residential programme.
The programme included modules on basic carpentry, plumbing, welding techniques, computer networking, and IT proficiency. Participants honed their skills in email communication and typing, and gained confidence in operating computers.
Another batch is gearing up for training at Mannarkkad soon.
