We need to devise academic study programs in line with technical textiles and through various means we need to rope in experts who have domain knowledge to teach these students on their technologies, suggests Avinash Mayekar.
Ocean of opportunities…tonnes of sailors…but few can swim!
There are multiple textile institutes and technology-driven engineering education boards in India that produce fresh graduates in B-Tech/ BE / Diploma every year. However, the recruitment in the textiles domain is far less. Similarly, there are multiple openings in various textile industries looking for good technical freshers yet fail to obtain an eager learner with basic industry knowledge.
As far as the freshers are concerned most of the students from textile engineering, switch over to other disciplines for white-collar jobs like IT, the Automobile industry, marketing firm of consumable goods, insurance, or even a government job. Opportunities to work in metropolitan cities, posh office localities, higher pay grades, and multinational work culture are the major reasons for the job switchovers. Whereas, for a textile engineer, the journey starts on the factory floor. Where he has to operate and work in shifts in unhygienic conditions in rural & remote locations, this scenario is common for any fresher in all types of textile operations. But with India growing in technical textiles, there are multiple opportunities opening up for working in a contamination-controlled environment / hygienic environment. And as the manufacturing base across all sectors will be shifting to remote industrial areas one has to adapt to it since that is how the future of manufacturing will be in India across all segments.
Although technical textiles provide better work conditions, there is a need for basic understanding and know-how on technical textiles. Which somehow the students are unable to grab on during their course of education. A lot of theory and a lack of practical approach and ability to resolve critical issues in machinery based on the knowledge of fiber, process, and properties are the major shortcomings that keep the baron empty at both ends.
These fresh thinkers and problem solvers are what the industry demands who will gain hands-on experience on the technology from the production floor. Further, this person with a good IQ level & leadership qualities can excel in most management-related activities and win over the competition easily giving ample opportunities to work in the head office shortly. However, at least in the first five years, one must gain hands-on knowledge in the field and build ample of learnings about production and operation activities.
The focus of the textile curriculum is more on how things are being done for ages in the industry. However, today there are many technologies involved in technical textiles, for example, spunlace, needlepunch, spunbond, melt-blown, and chemical bonding. So the point is that these many varieties of products require a particular resource beyond the raw material resources i.e. the manpower with finite skill sets.
For technical textiles, inherent knowledge about one particular fibre is not enough there is a requirement for different types of fibres from varieties of natural fibres to synthetic fibres all required in varying ratios as per the target product basket. Most of the technical textile technology produces value-added products produced on automated and highly engineered machines. So the level of manpower needed in this industry requires a skillset driven by technology adaptions. Although the workforce in technical textiles is less in number than in conventional textiles, there is a dire need for highly skilled manpower. This is where I feel currently an intervention is needed. Today professional training and developing the manpower are either lacking or mishandled in our country.
Technology providers are also intervening in the technical textiles field by providing on-floor training on machines in techno cum centres. However, with technical textiles advancing there is a need to include training and syllabus upgradation regularly. There is a wide gap as far as training needs are concerned. We need to have classroom training & shop floor training. There is already a global market ready with best practice methodologies developed. We need to bring these training models to academic practices so that the freshers are acquainted with new technologies and processes evolving. A syllabus reconfiguration is required every 2 years or at least live projects must be a part of the curriculum for developing the youth of textiles.
Conclusion
We need to devise academic study programs in line with technical textiles and through various means we need to rope in experts who have domain knowledge to teach these students on their technologies. Institutes may think of adopting complete value chain for better understanding & knowledge sharing. With our multiskilled knowledge tank of young technocrats we can be a sourcing hub for entire globe of technical textiles.
About the author:
Avinash Mayekar is the Managing Director of Suvin Expo LLP. He has over 35 years of experience working in consulting firms and various reputed textile companies of India. His main specialisation lies in strategy building, business process re-engineering and technical textiles. Working with a reputed global consulting firm, Mayekar has worked on large spinning projects in India and gained huge overseas experience.