Srinagar, Oct 30: A one-month Skill Development Training Programme in Leather Technology was inaugurated at the Atal Incubation Centre (AIC-IIIM), Srinagar, on Friday, with the objective of equipping aspiring candidates with practical, industry-oriented skills and encouraging entrepreneurship and self-employment in the leather sector.
The programme is being jointly organised by AIC-IIIM Bioinnovation Foundation and Kashmir Government Polytechnic College, Srinagar, with around 14 candidates participating.
Dr. Zabeer Ahmed, Director, CSIR-IIIM Jammu and Chairman, AIC-IIIM Bioinnovation Foundation, inaugurated the programme and interacted with the participants.
He encouraged the participants to make the best use of the training and explore opportunities for developing their own enterprises in the leather technology sector.
Dr. Ahmed assured the participants that AIC-IIIM would extend full support and handholding to interested candidates for establishing their own entrepreneurial units.
He highlighted the important role of the Atal Incubation Centre in nurturing aspiring entrepreneurs through incubation facilities, technical guidance, mentorship, infrastructure support and linkages with relevant institutions and industry stakeholders.
He also stressed the need to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir by connecting skill development programmes with innovation and enterprise creation.
The one-month training programme will provide hands-on exposure to various aspects of leather technology, including leather processing, product development, manufacturing techniques and other related processes.
It will also familiarise participants with potential business opportunities in the sector, enabling them to translate their technical skills into viable self-employment ventures.
Dr. Shafquat Ara, Principal, Kashmir Government Polytechnic College, Srinagar, was also present on the occasion.
Interacting with the participants, she highlighted the importance of institutional collaboration in strengthening technical education and skill development. She also briefed the gathering about the ongoing and proposed collaborations between Kashmir Government Polytechnic College and AIC-IIIM, emphasising the need to provide students with greater practical exposure, industry-oriented training and support for entrepreneurial initiatives.
Dr. Shahid Jibran, Chief Executive Officer, AIC-IIIM Bioinnovation Foundation, gave a detailed overview of the training programme and its objectives. He apprised the Director of the Centre’s efforts to promote skill-based entrepreneurship and generate new opportunities in the leather technology sector. He also highlighted the scope for further collaboration with Kashmir Government Polytechnic College to expand skill development initiatives and encourage the establishment of small-scale leather-based enterprises in the region.
The initiative is part of AIC-IIIM’s broader efforts to bridge the gap between technical education, practical skill development and entrepreneurship.
Through this collaborative programme, AIC-IIIM aims to transform trained candidates into potential entrepreneurs by providing them with the necessary technical competencies, entrepreneurial orientation and continued institutional support to establish sustainable ventures in Jammu and Kashmir.
