By partnering with industries, TN private engineering colleges are focussing on upskilling students 

To make students industry-ready and more employable, many private engineering colleges are reaching out to leading IT industries, EdTech companies and other sector-specific firms for developing industry-oriented course modules that will help upskill their students.

Along with the curriculum, students will have to study additional job-oriented skill courses. The move is aimed mainly at improving campus placements by bridging the gap between academia and industry.

MoUs and more
Private engineering colleges have signed MoUs with such firms to promote emerging technologies such as AI, Data Science and Machine Learning. Options have been given to students to select electives as per their interest in engineering and technology.

Akila Muthuramalingam, Principal at KPR Institute of Engineering and Technology, said during COVID-19, the courses chalked out and offered by EdTech companies were of great help to students. Along with providing education online, the companies helped students gain additional skills. Keeping this in mind, this year, the college is signing an agreement with Coursera, an online learning platform. Apart from it, the college has also entered into an agreement with L&T EduTech.

"We will guide students and map courses in the EdTech platforms, which they can study to make themselves industry-ready." The programmes offered by the platforms were designed with inputs from industry partners ... We have signed almost ten such MoUs with different companies for upskilling the students," she added.

Meanwhile, Chennai Institute of Technology has entered into an agreement with companies like Virtusa and Capgemini to provide industry exposure to its students. Along with training and internship, the companies will train their students in the latest industry requirements.

"While Virtusa will train our students in Artificial Intelligence, Capgemini will provide training in subjects relating to 5G technology. Both the companies have set up centres on our campus to train our students," said A Ramesh, Principal, Chennai Institute of Technology.

"Similarly, we have signed MoUs with companies relating to Civil and Mechanical Engineering to provide exposure to our students. Along with it, we have also roped in Buddi.AI to provide specific insight into AI to our students," Ramesh added.

Concern for government colleges
Academicians, however, are concerned about government colleges and urged the TN government to take immediate measures to provide training to teachers in these engineering colleges.

"Anna University has revamped its curriculum, but teachers are not capable of teaching these industry-oriented syllabi to students. The university should immediately start training and certification of teachers by roping in industry experts," said Jayprakash Gandhi, career consultant.