The Water Management & Plumbing Skill Council (WMPSC) commemorated its 10 years in skill development as a sector skill council, by organising the Water & Plumb Skill Conclave in New Delhi last month. The event was attended by Arun Kumar Tiwari, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, besides stakeholders in the skill ecosystem including policymakers, industry leaders, and professionals from the skills, water, and plumbing sectors. As WMPSC celebrates 10 years of skill development, it is setting the foundation for accelerated skilling outcomes through its tech-driven initiatives.
While commending the achievements of WMPSC and highlighting the role of plumbing and water management in economic development, Tiwari said, “Civilisations like the Indus Valley thrived because of their impeccable plumbing, highlighting the crucial role in ensuring good water supply and citizens’ health. Today, organisations like WMPSC play a pivotal role in shaping modern civilisation.”
Elaborating on how the industry could participate in India’s skill development mission, he added, “The Ministry has recently collaborated with WMPSC to create job roles for the Jal Jeevan Mission. We invite all stakeholders to join Skill India Digital and also connect with the Learning Management System. We encourage industry players to join us in expanding apprenticeship programs and creating new job roles. Let’s upskill and prepare more Indians for urban challenges, ensuring a brighter future.”
WMPSC chairman Ashish Agrawal informed about the milestones the Council had achieved since its foundation in 2013, including partnering with IndiaSkills Competitions, hosting the Plumbing Skills Mahotsav which was attended by over 10,000 plumbers, and participating in WorldSkills Competition in 2019 and 2022.
On this occasion, Council members paid rich tributes to the late Dr R K Somany, the founder chairman of WMPSC and former chairman and MD of Hindware Ltd, for the pioneering and visionary leadership he gave to the plumbing industry as well as the skill development sector. Dr Somany’s ability to initiate pathbreaking ideas led to the rapid development of skilling and testing infrastructure for wider social impact, formalising of international alliances with like-minded agencies, and coming together of industry players for broad basing the skilling mission.
The Council also unveiled three major initiatives – Jal Vitran Sanchaalak Handbook, Learning Management System, and Job Connect Portal – which are designed to further deepen the impact of the programs and strategies that are being designed to close the skill gap.
The signing of MoUs during the conclave with industry stakeholders, associations, and universities including Crompton CSR Foundation, Galgotias University, Sri Astro Training, All India Institute of Local Self Government, Rotary International, Jain Irrigation Inc, and IAPMO, showcased a collaborative effort towards sectoral growth.
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WMPSC is the apex Awarding Body and sector skill council for the water and plumbing industry. It operates under the aegis of the National Council for Vocational Education & Training (NCVET) and National Skills Development Corporation (NSDC), which have been established by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MoSDE) to transform India into a hub for skilled manpower. Since its inception, over 2.50 lakh plumbing professionals have been trained through various skilling programs across the country.
