World Skill Center to provide hands-on training in solar technology, automation and smart energy systems
GTNS | OCTOBER 5, 2026
BHUBANESWAR: Odisha is taking another step towards strengthening its clean-energy workforce with the proposed establishment of a dedicated Green Energy (Solar) Centre of Excellence at the World Skill Center (WSC) in Bhubaneswar.
The facility, to come up at Kaushal Bhawan on the WSC’s Mancheswar campus, will be fully supported through the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme of Odisha Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC). The initiative involves an investment of ₹1,48,75,009 spread across the financial years 2026–27 and 2027–28.
The announcement was made in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment and Energy Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo and Industry, Skill Development & Technical Education Minister Sampad Chandra Swain, marking a push to connect advanced technical training with Odisha’s expanding renewable-energy sector.
Practical training in modern solar technology
Spread over approximately 3,000 square feet, the proposed Centre of Excellence will provide students with practical exposure to several types of solar installations, including rooftop solar systems, floating solar units and solar-tracker technology.
The training model will go beyond conventional classroom-based certification. Existing expertise at WSC in electrical systems, industrial automation, advanced manufacturing and digital technologies will be integrated with emerging green-energy applications.
Students will receive exposure to technologies such as Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), SCADA, Industrial IoT, remote monitoring, digital twins, predictive maintenance and Energy Management Systems (EMS).
The objective is to enable trainees to understand how renewable-energy systems operate in real-world environments and improve the transition from formal certification to industry-ready skills.
WSC expansion plan announced
A major expansion plan for the World Skill Center was also announced during the programme.
Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo said the number of students receiving fully sponsored training at WSC will rise from 60 to 100 annually from this year, widening access to advanced technical education.
A proposal has also been put forward to take advanced skilling beyond Bhubaneswar through new WSC branches in Berhampur and Sambalpur.
The proposed expansion is aimed at making high-end vocational training accessible to a larger section of Odisha’s youth while creating stronger regional skill-development ecosystems.
Focus on jobs and entrepreneurship
The Solar Centre of Excellence is expected to train around 300 young people every year in specialised areas connected with the renewable-energy industry.
Training will focus on employment-oriented roles such as Solar PV Technicians, Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Technicians, Site Supervisors and Energy Auditors.
Young people from all districts of Odisha will be eligible to benefit from the programmes, with particular outreach planned for areas connected with OHPC’s operational presence.
The initiative also places emphasis on women’s participation in the clean-energy workforce, aligning the programme with Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5) on gender equality. Alongside employment, the programme is expected to encourage young trainees to explore opportunities for local entrepreneurship and green-energy services.
Ministers underline future-ready skills
Industry, Skill Development & Technical Education Minister Sampad Chandra Swain described the Centre as an important step towards preparing Odisha’s youth for emerging opportunities in solar and green-energy technologies.
The initiative comes at a time when renewable energy is creating demand not only for engineers but also for technically trained workers capable of installation, operation, maintenance, monitoring and energy management.
By combining field demonstrations with automation and digital technologies, the proposed Centre seeks to prepare trainees for a rapidly changing energy ecosystem.
Senior officials present at the MoU-signing ceremony included ACS, Energy Vishal Kumar Dev; Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Skill Development & Technical Education Bhupendra Singh Poonia; COO, World Skill Center Rashmi Ranjan Mohapatra; and Director (HR), OHPC Sandeep Pattnaik, along with other senior officers.
The WSC-OHPC partnership is expected to add a new dimension to Odisha’s skill-development efforts by bringing renewable-energy training, industrial technology and employment-oriented education under one platform.