India will need around 76.5 million strong workforce for its building, construction and real estate sector, according to a report by the National Skill Development Corporation. Shortage of talent in the construction industry is a long-term problem that Volvo Construction Equipment is working to address through better education and training. The company recently hosted a mega operator training program in Barbil, Odisha, India.
The four-day event from April 9 to 12 was a complete training and certification program for wheel loader and excavator operators in Barbil. The training was conducted by Pasha Khader, a Volvo CE operator trainer authorised by IESC and further supported by teams from Volvo CE and Pollutech Engineering, the local dealer.

Volvo Construction Equipment chose Barbil, a region with the largest deposit of iron ore and manganese ore in the world, as the training site because there are over 300 Volvo CE machines working in the region.

“As India continues to invest in infrastructure, we are facing a shortage of skilled talent to help build these infrastructures. As a construction equipment manufacturer, we wanted to do our part to support our industry through better education and training,” said Dimitrov Krishnan, Vice President and Head of Volvo CE India.

Over 600 operators attended the training program, which raised awareness of machine safety, operation and maintenance to optimise productivity. The program also emphasised the importance of environmental care and machine quality, key focus areas for Volvo Construction Equipment. Operators who completed the training received IESC certification that recognises their knowledge on machine operations, which in turn could help them secure employment. This certification is also recognised by insurance companies which are an important aspect as customers purchase insurance policies for risk coverage of the machines.