In a significant move aimed at enhancing the employability of youth and aligning educational infrastructure with modern industry needs, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Tuesday inaugurated a programme to transform the state's Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) into Advanced Technology Centres (ATCs). The initiative, launched at the ITI in Mallepally, Hyderabad, marks a major step towards equipping the youth with relevant skills and creating job opportunities within the state.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, accompanied by Industry Minister D Sreedhar Babu, laid the foundation for the first four ATCs. This initiative is part of a larger project to upgrade 65 ITIs across Telangana at a projected cost of Rs 2,324 crore. This ambitious undertaking follows a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in March with Tata Technologies Limited (TTL), which will provide advanced technology and training expertise for the conversion.

Speaking at the launch event, Revanth Reddy emphasized the outdated nature of the current ITI curriculum, which has failed to keep pace with technological advancements and industry demands. He highlighted the government’s commitment to addressing unemployment a central issue during the Telangana movement by providing relevant skills and job opportunities to the youth. “Certificates alone will not help. You need skills with certificates”, Reddy asserted, underscoring the need for practical, industry-aligned training.

The initiative comes as a response to the growing number of unemployed youth in Telangana, with 4 million young people currently seeking employment. The upgraded ITIs will feature advanced equipment and technology to ensure training meets contemporary industry standards. TTL has already employed 130 experts to facilitate this training, ensuring that students receive hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology.

The comprehensive training programme will encompass both long-term and short-term courses. Each year, 5,860 individuals will receive training in six types of long-term courses, while an additional 31,200 will participate in short-term courses. Over the next decade, the ATCs aim to train 400,000 individuals, a significant increase from the 150,000 trained in ITIs over the past ten years.

The financial structure of the project involves a substantial investment from TTL, covering 86.74% (Rs 2,016.25 crore) of the total cost, while the Telangana state government will contribute the remaining 13.26% (Rs 307.96 crore). The ATCs will function not only as training hubs but also as centres for skill development and technology for aspiring entrepreneurs in small, micro, medium, and large-scale industries.

Additionally, TTL has committed to offering job opportunities to individuals trained in these centres, further enhancing the employment prospects of graduates. The ATCs are expected to expand their services in the future to include polytechnic and engineering students, providing a broader scope for skill development across different educational backgrounds.

Chief Minister Reddy expressed gratitude to Tata Technologies for their collaboration, highlighting the critical role such partnerships play in transforming the state’s educational and employment landscape. He assured that with the establishment of ATCs, the need for Telangana's youth to migrate to Gulf countries in search of employment would diminish, as ample job opportunities would be created locally.

The launch of the ATCs represents a pivotal moment in Telangana’s effort to modernize its vocational training infrastructure, aiming to make the state a hub for skilled professionals and a leader in technology-driven education.