Technical Training Area at Kallaipadum Technical College in India
The Kallipadem Technical College opened in September 1988. It was developed in partnership with the Church of God in South India with the assistance of CIDA and Alberta AID. Its purpose is to impart good technical training and sound education in order to raise the social and economic standards of the students irrespective of caste, creed, race or community. The training is organized according to the Indian governement industrial training scheme including both theoretical and practical training. Courses include electronics, electrical, automotives, plumbing, drafting and computing. It continues to be strong program with approximately 200 graduates per year.
“The College runs nicely, I am told, on revenues from students and the students graduating from the various trades immediately find jobs. The economic advances in India in the last 13 years have been immense, thanks to the opening up of the Indian economy. It’s incredible to see the impact of globalization on a very traditional, class conscious society. There is building going on everywhere. IT and telecommunications are huge, and schools new and old are everywhere. No doubt there is a downside in terms of erosion of traditional values, but I suspect not too many people, given the choice, would want less development.” (Alan Fielding, notes from a visit in 2005)
