Unlike global norms, there is no regulatory requirement for employment of trained & certified CE operators and mechanics in India.

– Suresh Nair

AVP – Institutional Business and Key Accounts – Tata Hitachi Construction Machinery

What is your view on the role of skill development/operator training in CE operations and maintenance?

In view of the enhanced focus of the Government on Infrastructure development, including emphasis on flagship Infrastructure projects such as the National Infrastructure Pipeline and the recently launched Gati Shakti National Master Plan, the demand for Construction Equipment operators and mechanics is expected to increase manifold in India.

As per the Construction Equipment Industry Vision plan 2030, launched by Mr. Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport and Highways, construction equipment Sales are projected to increase threefold to touch upwards of 250,000 units by 2030. This growth envisioned for the Indian CE Industry will not only help generate a large number of job opportunities in the near future, but will also help create a huge opportunity for upskilling on account of advancement of technology.

One example is the extensive usage of telematics in construction equipment. ICT enablement helps generate data pertaining to equipment usage hours, efficiency of usage, location data, alarms for system malfunction and so on. These reports help in preventive maintenance, better utilization and monitoring of
assets, and geofencing. Another example would be the use of Fleet Management Systems for optimal utilization of assets at project sites. In mining applications, there is increased use of Autonomous Drives and higher usage of technology in safety systems. With such investment in new technology and advancement in construction equipment, it is essential to develop new skill sets aligned with Industry needs going forward.

Moreover, trained and skilled equipment operators are essential not only for completion of projects on time and within the desired quality parameters, but also from the point of view of safety as most construction and mining equipment are operated in a hazardous environment where strict adherence to safety standards is imperative.

What is the current scenario of availability of skilled/certified equipment operators in India?

As per Industry estimates, over 8,00,000 people are currently employed directly as operators and mechanics in the construction equipment sector who need to be upskilled and certified. Moreover, with construction equipment Sales projected to treble by 2030, it is estimated that more than 3 million skilled equipment operators and mechanics will be required to operate and service construction equipment between FY20 and FY30.

Infrastructure Equipment Skill Council (IESC), the sector skill council for the Industry, had trained and certified 27000 candidates in FY19-20. However, this figure dropped to less than 2000 in FY20-21 due to the impact of Covid-19. Equipment operator and mechanic trainings cannot be conducted virtually due to the technical nature of the trainings, and pandemic related restrictions acted as a major bottleneck. In the current fiscal too, Covid-19 related restrictions have affected operator training.

In addition, to ensure the scalability of operator training, apart from government-funded trainings, non-funded trainings which involve private sector participation, are also essential to fast-track skilling in the construction equipment sector.

According to you, how are the skill development initiatives progressing in Indian CE industry? What are the challenges faced?

The Construction Equipment Industry, through IESC, has been imparting trainings to unskilled and semi-skilled equipment operators & mechanics. Set up in 2014, IESC operates under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India, and is the apex body for spearheading the skilling of workforce in the Infrastructure Equipment Sector. The Sector Skill Council, represented by 44 Member companies, is promoted by Indian Construction Equipment Manufacturers’ Association (ICEMA), supported by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) & partners with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).

Since its inception, IESC has developed 40 job roles covering over 80% of the work force, accredited over 60 Training Partners, majority of whom are OEMs, certified over 800 trainers and trained over 50,000 personnel. IESC is duly supported by construction equipment OEMs through their state-of-the-art operator training centres pan India.

However, some key challenges need to be addressed to help develop a robust skilling ecosystem in the construction equipment sector in India. One of the major challenges faced by the construction equipment sector is the high cost involved in training operators and mechanics, compared to other sectors, by the virtue of capex involved. Compensation of IESC’s training cost therefore needs to be enhanced from the current level of Rs. 49/hr to Rs. 160/hr by the Govt.

Further, post completion of the trainings, ideally candidates need to be deployed on an on-the-job-training (OJT) to get accustomed with real world worksite equipment operation and maintenance skill sets. In the current scenario, there are limited OJT opportunities available for trainees in the construction equipment operation and maintenance sphere.

Another area of concern is the low attractiveness for construction equipment operator job roles among youth, especially considering the arduous and remote working conditions where such equipment operate. There is, therefore, a strong need to make operator and mechanic job roles more attractive and lucrative for youth.

What are the steps needed to bridge the gap of demand-availability of skilled operators?

As mentioned earlier, in view of the Government’s enhanced focus on infrastructure, the demand for construction equipment operators and mechanics is expected to grow manifold over the next decade.

In order to meet this huge demand for skilled operators and mechanics, construction equipment manufacturers need to play a very important role by way of aligning their CSR budgets towards operator skilling initiatives in collaboration with IESC and the Govt. This will go a long way in supporting creation of a pool of skilled equipment operators and mechanics.

Further, unlike global norms, there is no regulatory requirement for employment of trained and certified construction equipment operators and mechanics in India. In view of the increase in demand for CE operators and mechanics in future, and on account of safety requirements regarding operation of construction equipment, it is important that the government may consider mandating employment of trained and certified Construction Equipment Operators and Mechanics in India across projects. The Indian Construction Equipment Manufacturers Association (ICEMA) along with IESC is engaging with the Government on this issue.

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