Bhubaneswar, 05 October (H.S.): The World Skill Center (WSC) and Odisha Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC) have partnered to establish a Green Energy (Solar) Centre of Excellence at the WSC campus in Mancheswar, Bhubaneswar, aimed at creating a skilled workforce for Odisha’s clean energy transition.

The Centre will be fully funded under OHPC’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, with an investment of Rs. 1.49 crore across the financial years 2026-27 and 2027-28. The initiative was announced in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment and Energy Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo and Industry, Skill Development and Technical Education Minister Sampad Chandra Swain.

Spread over around 3,000 square feet at Kaushal Bhawan, the state-of-the-art facility will provide hands-on training through demonstration units covering rooftop solar, floating solar and solar-tracker systems.

The Centre will leverage WSC’s expertise in industrial automation, electrical systems, advanced manufacturing and digital technologies. Its training infrastructure will incorporate advanced technologies such as Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), remote monitoring, digital twins, predictive maintenance and Energy Management Systems (EMS).

The initiative is aimed at bridging the gap between formal certification and industry-ready skills by providing practical, field-oriented exposure to trainees and preparing them for emerging opportunities in the renewable energy sector.

Addressing the event, Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo announced plans to expand the reach of the World Skill Center. The number of fully sponsored students at WSC will be increased from 60 to 100 annually from the current year. A proposal has also been made to establish WSC branches in Berhampur and Sambalpur to decentralise advanced skill development and provide greater access to world-class technical education across the State.

Industry, Skill Development and Technical Education Minister Sampad Chandra Swain said the Centre would play a transformative role in equipping Odisha’s youth with future-ready skills in solar and green energy.

He said the initiative would help strengthen Odisha’s position in clean energy innovation while creating sustainable employment opportunities for the state’s youth.

The Centre is expected to train around 300 youth annually in specialised, job-oriented roles such as Solar PV Technicians, Operation and Maintenance Technicians, Site Supervisors and Energy Auditors.

The programmes will be open to youth from all districts of Odisha, with targeted outreach in OHPC’s operational areas. The initiative will also promote greater participation of women in the clean energy sector in line with Sustainable Development Goal 5 and encourage local entrepreneurship.

ACS, Energy Vishal Kumar Dev, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Skill Development and Technical Education Bhupendra Singh Poonia, COO, World Skill Center Rashmi Ranjan Mohapatra, Director (HR), OHPC Sandeep Pattnaik and other senior officials were present at the MoU signing ceremony.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda