On 15.10.18 the ‘Dual System of Training’ was inaugurated at AIAT. On behalf of Auroville, Dr. Nirima Oza, member of the Auroville Governing Board, Shri Srinivasmurty, Undersecretary Auroville Foundation and Shri Alain Bernard, Trustee Auroville Village Action Trust, welcomed and honoured the honourable guests. Our correspondent and principal, Mr Lavkamad Chandra, explained the importance of the Dual System of Training/DST and its potential to raise the skill level of India’s workers to double the training capacity, to strengthen MSME with qualified workers and to raise competitiveness. The youth skilled under DST are more employable and skilled as per industrial needs. Students under DST are entitled to get a stipend from the industry thus more students would have a chance to be skilled workers instead of working as unskilled labour. After lighting the Kuthuvelaku, our chief guest Mrs. Karin Stoll, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Chennai, explained about the Dual System of Training in Germany and how it affects competitiveness of MSME in Germany. She appreciated AIAT for taking so much effort in implementing the Indian version of the Dual System of Training at AIAT for the benefit of MSME and the youth. She motivated the students to obtain skill training and to work hard for removing unemployment in India. The Chief guest of honour Shri Kandasamy, Honourable Minister of Labour, Government of Puducherry, opened the inaugural stone and spoke of the possibilities of employment opportunities for skilled persons and assured to give all support to implement this scheme in Puducherry. Then he issued certificates to the students who had completed their training in skills as well as winners of sports.

CII chairman Mr. Nanda Kumar stated that efforts would be taken shortly to organise a meeting with the industry people in order to give awareness of the Dual System of Training. He expressed appreciation for ITI having taken the initiative to give skill training to the students.

Commissioner of Labour, Government of Puducherry, Mr. E. Vallavan encouraged the students to undergo this kind of skill training and assured that the students of Tamil Nadu can also get jobs in Puducherry. He appreciated the principal for the efforts taken to get approval for the Dual concept from Central Government.

Shri Senthil Kumar, MD of GT Electronic (India) Pvt. Ltd., General Manager Shri Diwede of Grace Infrastructure India Pvt. Ltd., Madam Rajeshwari, Radhakrishnan General Manager, Appasamy Associates and Shri Rishi Kapoor , MD Sunlit future issued a letter of acceptance to the students in the presence of the Labour Minister of Puducherry.

We are proud to be one of the first ITI to introduce the Dual System of Training in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry in the presence of all honored guests mentioned above. Especially we are thankful for their pledged support for the future.We thank Svaram and Yatra for giving a music performance and Bharathnatyam Dance.

We also thank the staff of AIAT who guided and practiced with the students for the cultural program in percussion, dance and drama and the students who performed so enthusiastically.Thanks also to the entire AIAT team and students for the good cooperation in preparation and implementation of this milestone for AIAT.

On 29th February 2018 Auroville celebrated its 50th anniversary. The community organized the Sangamam Festival for the employees of the Auroville units as part of this celebration. Approximately 4 to 5 thousand people visited the festival. The public had the opportunity to get first hand information about Auroville Outreach education. School children gave music, dance and theatre performances. In various booths Auroville activities were presented. Auroville Institute of Applied Technology has a booth to present AIAT skill training program. AIAT staff and students presented many projects they had worked on. Fitter and Welder sections presented chairs and tables, lampshades, pens and pencil holders, lingams made of steel and aluminum. Electronic and Electric students presented an emergency lamp and a bamboo smoke detector. Many visitors were impressed with the work done by the AIAT-students, especially that of metalworker and made inquiries about the products.

AIAT celebrated Republic Day 2018 with a flag hoisting by Principal Shri Lavkamad Chandra at the Irumbai Campus. In his speech Mr. Lavkamad Chandra emphasized that the fundamental base of democracy are responsible citizens. The citizens elect their representatives to work for the growth and sake of the country. The election of the representatives is one of the instruments that citizens have. They should elect candidates who are not corrupt, who work for the growth of the society. After the speech, students who had gone to an industrial internship to Lenovo and Grace Infrastructures for 1-3 weeks received their certificates issued by the companies listed above. 

Every year AIAT celebrates Ayudha Puja and Ganesh Chathurthi. It is a very good day to say thank you

On April 22nd 2019 the AIAT students of both campuses took part in the EARTH DAY celebration. A discussion took place on:

“What can we do to make the earth a better place?”

Students gave a talk about environmental protection, made touching drawings and planted a tree on our school compound. This celebration ended with collecting the plastic waste on the main road and next to the campus grounds. To spread the word to the families some students took a tree home to plant in their gardens.

Every year AIAT takes part in the Career Guidance Exhibition organized by the Labour Department of Pondicherry Government. In 2019 our Principal Shri Lavkamad Chandra in his speech said that there is a mismatch in skill demand and supply. Today 80% of jobs are at operational level for which an ITI qualification is sufficient. The Dual System of training leads to better employability.