Automotive
Skills Development Council (ASDC), the first Sector Skill Council of India, has
announced the appointment of their new president Vinod Aggarwal during the ASDC Annual Conclave 2021.
Aggarwal is the Managing Director & CEO of VE Commercial Vehicles
Ltd (VECV), Eicher Motors’ joint venture with Sweden’s AB Volvo. An industry
veteran with over 40 years of rich experience in general management, finance
and operations, Aggarwal has been leading the joint venture since 2010, two
years after it was formed.
Aggarwal
takes over from Nikunj Sanghi who has been at the helm of affairs at ASDC for a
decade or so.
The
other officer bearers include FR Singhvi, Joint Managing Director,Sansera
Engineering Ltd as Vice President and Vinkesh Gulati, Director – United
Automobiles & President-FADA as Treasurer.
ASDC
also organised the ASDC Annual Conclave 2021 in New Delhi on the theme of ’10
Years of ASDC’. Participants included Indian and global automakers, industry
stalwarts as well as ASDC members from across India.
Dr.
N S Kalsi, Chairperson, National Council for Vocational Education and Training
(NCVET) was the chief guest of the conclave. The conclave focused on bringing
industry experts on-board to provide key insights for building a skilling
ecosystem by partnering with the industry and making skills aspirational. The
day-long event focused on various panel discussions on industry expectations
from the skilling ecosystem, vocational skills institutions and industry
training centres’ perspective on challenges and opportunities associated with
skilling, and the role of the state to mobilize and make skills aspirational in
the automotive skilling ecosystem.
Commenting
on his appointment, Aggarwal said, “I am excited to lead the efforts of ASDC to
contribute to skilling, upskilling and reskilling of workforce in the
automotive industry. Over the years ASDC has evolved as an important
institution and with its various initiatives, it is contributing immensely to the
Auto Industry. With large employment of around 3.7 Crores people (both direct
and indirect) in Auto Industry, the role of ASDC becomes all the more
important”.
Commenting
on the status of Auto Industry, Aggarwal further added that “even though the
Auto Industry currently is facing challenges due to various reasons, it is
improving consistently with economy coming back on growth path and also due to
the various steps initiated by the government of India like scrappage policy,
PLI scheme and huge focus on infrastructure investments”.
Nikunj
Sanghi, Outgoing President of ASDC said, “The journey of ASDC has been long and
was full of ups and downs, yet the 10 years have been great and full of
learnings. The parent associations SIAM, ACMA, FADA and bodies like ministry of
heavy industries, ministry of road transport, and ministry of skill development
have been the biggest support for ASDC. It is the first sector skill council
that fulfilled every parameter which the government thought when they formed
the sector skill councils in India. Initially the company started with grants
but today it is self-sufficient and has become a sustainable body as it has
built a strong base by learning from its elders.”