Bhubaneswar: World Skill Center (WSC) on Monday signed an MoU with Odisha Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC)-both state government-run organisations-to set up a dedicated green energy (solar) Centre of Excellence (CoE) at its campus here.
Fully sponsored under the corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme of OHPC, the initiative represents a total investment of Rs 1.48 crore spanning financial years 2026–27 and 2027–28, according to an official statement.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo and Skill Development & Technical Education Minister Sampad Chandra Swain.
The state-of-the-art Bhubaneswar facility, spanning roughly 3,000 square feet at Kaushal Bhawan, will feature hands-on demonstration units including rooftop solar, floating solar, and solar-tracker systems, the statement said.
Leveraging WSC's existing strengths in industrial automation, electrical systems, advanced manufacturing, and digital technologies, the CoE will integrate advanced domains such as programmable logic controllers (PLC), supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), Industrial IoT (internet of things), remote monitoring, digital twins, predictive maintenance, and energy management systems (EMS), it said.
This practical, field-level exposure bridges the crucial gap between certification and industry readiness, tackling the skill constraints identified in recent sector reports, said an officer.
Speaking at the event, Singh Deo announced major expansion plans for the world skill center. To widen access to world-class technical education, WSC is increasing its annual fully sponsored student count from 60 to 100 candidates starting this year, he said.
Furthermore, a proposal has been given to decentralise advanced skilling across the state, with new WSC branches to be established in Berhampur and Sambalpur, he announced.
Highlighting the state's vision for youth empowerment, Swain said, "This Centre of Excellence marks a transformative step in equipping our youth with future-ready skills in solar and green energy, ensuring Odisha leads the way in clean energy innovation and sustainable employment."
Designed to train approximately 300 youth per year, the Centre will deliver specialised, job-ready programmes for high-demand roles including solar PV technicians, operation & maintenance (O&M) technicians, site supervisors, and energy auditors, he said.
The programme is open to youth across all districts of Odisha, with targeted outreach for OHPC's operational areas, and actively promotes gender inclusion under SDG-5 to increase female participation in clean energy while fostering local entrepreneurship, officials said.
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.
