New Delhi: IGNOU today signed an MoU with Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) for a slew of apparel industry specific educational programmes. AEPC comprises Apparel Management and Apparel Training and Design Centres (ATDC) which are non-profit industry-managed organisations promoting manufacture and exports of garments, education and training in the domain.
The MoU was signed by IGNOU’s Registrar (Administration) Dr U S Tolia and AEPC Director General for education and training Dr Darlie Koshy in presence of Vice Chancellor of IGNOU Professor VN Rajasekharan Pillai and AEPC Chairman Mr Rakesh Vaid.
The MoU aims to institute educational programmes in the skill-based domain of apparel, garments, fashion designing which will ensure employment to a large cross-section of the society. The two arms of the AEPC, Institute of Apparel Management (IAM) and ATDC, have already developed a few programmes for niche areas of functioning in the apparel industry. This MoU will ensure IGNOU certification and scaling up for further domain knowledge. It is hoped that the MoU will boost professionals in ‘fibre to fashion’ chain of textile, apparel and retail industries.
The MoU also ensures exploration of possibilities to set up Activity Centre to create avenues for gainful employment in textile, apparel, lifestyle and retail sectors.
A joint coordination committee consisting of five experts will be set up comprising IGNOU and AEPC experts and academics related to the textiles industry. The tie-up will especially address following areas of interests:
• Exclusive use of networks of IGNOU, IAM and ATDC to get skill-development of the unreached segment of the society,
• Innovative tech-voc academic programmes by share of expertise,
• Joint market surveys to develop need-based approach to help the professionals in their career pathways,
• Creation of ICT-driven delivery culture
• Development of new concepts and white papers for bridging education and industry requirements.
There are 52 ATDC facilities in the country which will be used to provide vocational education certifiable by IGNOU according to the IGNOU standards. Confirming this Dr Koshy said, “The programmes will be technical and vocational. These will be for certificates, diplomas and degrees. All programmes will be in modular manner between IGNOU, and AEPC’s arms ATDC and IAM”. Various models to make use of the ATDC network will be explored following the MoU, such as distance education model, community colleges, open education norms etc., said Koshy.
Vice Chancellor Professor VN Rajasekharan Pillai lauded the AEPC for the move to educate and empower lakhs of youth who want to join the apparel industry for gainful careers. This initiative will underline IGNOU’s commitment to the goals of the National Skills Mission, which target creation of livelihood opportunities for needy individuals.
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