Latest population statistics reveal that India ranks second globally in terms of availability of skilled manpower. A detailed analysis indicates that handling modern equipment is not yet India’s strong-suite. SMT is one such crucial sector where India still lacks behind. As a solution to this drawback and find a way forward, Kang Young Bong, managing director of YB Techsolutions Pvt Ltd, explains to Baishakhi Dutta of the Electronicsforu.com Network how planned SMT training courses and workshops can enable businesses to develop the skilled workforce they desire and how the company can provide such services. Excerpts follow…
Q) How important has the availability of skilled manpower become in India?
Lack of skilled manpower is a serious challenge for Indian manufacturers. While India strives towards Make in India, increased labor costs are threating to erode India’s advantage in producing goods and services at low cost. The foreign investors are shifting from China to India due to high salary demand in China. If the situation will be the same in India, for them it will be difficult to survive here too.
I did more than 15 companies process review (audit) and get to know that the SMT manpower skill is too poor. The only solution I can see for this situation is conducting training programs to upgrade the skill of SMT manpower and providing process consulting to make correct procedures at the manufacturing plants.
Q) Kindly explain the business model that you have for the SMT industry
Currently, we are proving SMT consulting service to product manufacturing companies who have SMT lines. Through the consulting program, we aim to improve the productivity, quality and the process of SMT line. So, whatever training is required for the manpower to scale up productivity and quality-we are providing that. Apart from providing the consulting solution, we also offer SMT training services.
Q) What benefits can companies expect from this consulting service?
At first, we do the process review of the existing SMT line and check what is the current status. Then we make a target for Productivity improvement (Capacity increase), Quality improvement (In PPM), Machine maintenance training and Manpower skill-up training. After making this plan, we give a proposal to the company. Basically, the Total SMT consulting and training program is of 1 year (To achieve 1st target), depending upon the customer requirement we decide the duration.
Q) Who are your current customers leveraging this opportunity?
Right now we are providing yearly consulting to 2 companies for SMT Process improvement and manpower skill-up training. Here we have achieved single digit quality PPM and improved more than 30 per cent productivity. We have done process review audit of more than 15 companies all over India.
Q) What is the payment structure associated with this?
The two companies that we are currently dealing with has a yearly contract with us. We do not follow any fixed monetary structure as such.
However, we follow a prepayment method which takes place on a monthly basis.
It depends on the status of the company. If the condition is too bad, we need to visit that company more. Once we get a grip on the situation, we slowly decrease the number of our visits. However, the entire monetary structure depends on the situation of a company’s manufacturing floor.
Q) Do you opt for annual contracts only or do you have a flexible model?
It depends on the company, for how long they want the service. We prepare the contract accordingly.
Q) Do you provide SMT training too? How does it work?
Regarding training, we are planning to open a training centre. The Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA) scheme along with MeitY, is coming up with an MCCIA Electronic Cluster Foundation (MECF) cluster in Pune by next year ie, 2020. We are a part of that for providing SMT training.
YB Techsolution will decide the curriculum, trainers and all necessary details pertaining to the SMT training. Except for Pune, we are looking for the investors to set up SMT Training Center.
Q) Any criteria that has been set for the application process for the training?
Companies or individuals can directly get in touch with MECF when the training center will be open if they match the entry criteria.
Q) What will be the duration of these training programs?
We have prepared qualification packs for technician level and engineer level (NSDC).
For the technician level, it will be training for operating all sorts of machines in an SMT line. It is a 100 hours training program in which we will teach how to operate the machinery, ie, from loader to unloader.
However, at the engineering level, we will train them on how to operate and manage all the machines in an SMT line. The training for the engineering level will be of 200 hours.
Q) Will certificates be offered after completing the training?
Yes, certification will be provided by the Electronics Sector Skill Council of India (ESSCI) upon successful completion of the training.
Q) Are you tying up with companies only? Or can individuals approach you too?
Once we open the training centre, we would be looking forward to individuals at first who can apply for the training. Going forward we shall open it for organisations also.
Q) Are you the only player in this domain with such an offering? Or are there other players too?
At present, there are training companies in India who provides such training. However, the difference is that such trainers provide only single machine training. We are the only trainers who will be providing a complete SMT line training solution. In that aspect, we do not have any competitors as of for now.
Q) Do you think SMT training can be made a part of the college and university curriculum?
Yes, definitely Korea also has SMT Training in the college curriculum.
In fact, once our training facility gets ready, we intend to tie up with various colleges and universities first, since we strongly believe that such training should be imparted at the academia level only, so that once these students are out there in the market, every organisation gets an opportunity to take onboard skilled manpower. Once we hit this, then we will be tying up with the industry. So, our priority is definitely academic institutions first.
