Centre of Excellence Scheme: 

“Centre of Excellence’ is special institute for vocational training characterized by close links between Institutes, other training providers, industry, other employment interests and communities. It aims to produce appropriately qualified and skilled workers with excellent employment and career prospects, which meet the needs of the economy.

 Centre of Excellence will focus on enhancing the skills and careers of those already in work, enhancing the employability of new entrants to the labour market, and the employment prospects of those seeking employment (including self-employment). It will enable development, maintenance and delivery of high quality, specialist vocational training across a range of new and traditional occupations. It will be innovative in delivering training that develops both specialist and related general skills.

Centre of Excellence will work closely with business and industry to deliver industry-relevant, economically important provision of a high standard.

Objectives of the Scheme: The main objective is to upgrade the existing ITIs in “Centres of Excellence” for producing multi skilled workforce of world standard by:

• Introduction of new multi-skilling modular courses as per needs of industry and to provide employable skills.
• Improvement of physical infrastructure facilities like buildings, equipment etc.
• Adoption of new training technology with close involvement of industry and other stakeholders in planning and implementation of training programmes.
• Empowering these centres by providing sufficient autonomy in academic, administrative, financial and management matters.
• Generating income and investment for institutional development.
• Introducing short-term training programme for industrial/service sector personnel as per their specific requirements.
• Building up partnership with the nearby industries & setting up of Institute Management Committee (IMCs) to make training wholly demand driven.
• The Certificates shall be jointly awarded by Industry and Government to encourage Industry involvement and participation.

As per the Budget Speech of the Union Finance Minister for the year 2004-05, in order to that keep pace with the technological demands of the Industry and the expanding universe of knowledge to produce world class workforce, it was stressed that over the next five year, 500 ITIs are to be upgraded at the rate of 100 ITIs per year by imparting skills of selected trade courses of 2 years duration. The syllabus for one and half year preferably of multi-skilled nature should be designed based on the decision of IMCs and State Govt. in tune with the requirement of the market conditions.  

For the state of Goa, the State Government has proposed ITI-Panaji for “Centre of Excellence”.