More Sponsored Seats and New Solar Training Hub at Odisha’s World Skill Center

Odisha is stepping up support for advanced skill training. On Monday, Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo announced that the number of fully sponsored students at the World Skill Center in Bhubaneswar will rise from 60 to 100 starting this year. The increase comes through continued CSR funding from the Odisha Hydro Power Corporation.

The announcement was made during the signing of an agreement between the World Skill Center and OHPC. The two organisations will set up a Green Energy (Solar) Centre of Excellence at the WSC campus in Mancheswar.

The new facility will occupy about 3,000 square feet at Kaushal Bhawan and is backed by an investment of nearly Rs 1.49 crore under OHPC’s CSR programme for the financial years 2026-27 and 2027-28. It will focus on practical training in solar technologies, including rooftop systems, floating solar and solar trackers.

Students will also gain experience with related systems such as programmable logic controllers, SCADA, industrial IoT, remote monitoring and energy management. The centre aims to train around 300 young people each year for roles that include solar PV technicians, operations and maintenance technicians, site supervisors and energy auditors.

Singh Deo, who also holds the energy portfolio, said OHPC had earlier sponsored 60 students for training at the World Skill Center. After a request for continued support, the number has now been raised to 100. He added that the government has given an assurance of ongoing backing.

Skill Development and Technical Education Minister Sampad Chandra Swain was also present. Officials noted that a proposal is under consideration to open World Skill Center branches in Sambalpur and Berhampur. Singh Deo confirmed that support would be extended once those centres become operational.

The World Skill Center already runs one-year advanced courses in areas such as electrical technology, mechatronics, precision engineering, air conditioning and refrigeration, and other technical and service fields. Placement rates have remained high in recent batches, with many students finding opportunities in India and abroad.

For young people in Odisha, especially those from districts linked to OHPC operations, the expanded sponsorship and new solar-focused programmes offer clearer pathways into growing sectors. Free or fully supported seats reduce the financial barrier to specialised training that often leads to steady employment or self-employment in renewable energy.

Parents and teachers can point students towards these options as admissions for upcoming sessions open. The combination of hands-on learning, industry-aligned courses and higher sponsored intake strengthens the state’s effort to prepare more youth for the clean energy transition and other technical careers.

The partnership between a state power utility and the skill centre shows how public sector CSR funds are being channelled directly into education and employability. As the green energy centre takes shape and the extra sponsored seats become available, more students across Odisha stand to benefit from practical, job-ready training closer to emerging opportunities.