The Government of India's Ministry of Education's Board of Practical Training (Eastern Region) Celebrates 50 Years of Excellence

News Desk, News Nation 360 : Regional Apprenticeship Day 2025, organized by the Board of Practical Training Eastern Region (BOPT ER) at the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre, Kolkata, honored achievements by apprentices and establishments in skill development under the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS), with chief guests Baidyanath Yadav, R.N. Lahiri, and Prof. Dilip Kumar Baidya attending, and BOPT(ER), which since more than 50 years ago has provided training in apprenticeship for graduates and diploma holders in over 3,000 establishments, remained focused on developing a skilled workforce and enhancing employability, setting new benchmarks in FY 2024-25 by training 133,836 apprentices and paying over Rs.264 crore in stipends, as is so highlighted by Director Dr. S.M. Ejaz Ahmad, who highlighted their path-breaking initiatives such as 'NATS on Reels' and sunrise sector focus, while the top award went to Mr. Siddharth Ray from Tata Steel for Apprentice of the Year, Oil India Limited for Establishment of the Year, and NSHM Knowledge Campus, Durgapur for Institution of the Year, making the event a resounding testimonial for the collective strength of apprenticeship-based skill development in the region. The Regional Apprenticeship Days in Kolkata featured a convergence of industry leaders, educational institutions, apprentices, and National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) stakeholders, with the event including a keynote by Dr. S.M. Ejaz Ahmad, entertainment and award ceremonies such as the NATS journey video and theme song, and awards for top establishments, institutions, and apprentices, and also the introduction of initiatives such as the "NATS on Reels" competition to reach out to young people on creative digital platforms and build awareness of the need for skill development, employment enhancement, and NATS, while also emphasizing the adoption of Assessment and Creditisation systems with certificates to apprentices, and for the subsequent year, BOPT(ER) plans to increase partnerships with higher education institutions, build new industry segments such as AI and Healthcare, and enhance employment tracking, aiming at training over 15 lakh students between 2021 and 2026 with government support continuing, and the day ended with speeches by dignified guests and a vote of thanks by K.N. Mishra, mirroring BOPT's consistent focus on fostering India's future through skill development and employability.

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