SKF India Limited has inaugurated its first SKF Employability & Entrepreneurship Development (SEED) Centre in Jadhavwadi, Chikhali, Pune, to equip underserved youth with industry-relevant skills, improve their employment prospects in the manufacturing sector and help address the industry’s demand for a skilled workforce.
Established in partnership with Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), Tata STRIVE and Bosch India Foundation, the centre combines civic infrastructure, manufacturing expertise and specialised skilling. It will train its first cohort of 100 students through a 300-hour programme for shopfloor technician and industrial electrician roles. Technical training will be complemented by soft skills, communication, digital literacy and AI awareness, alongside end-to-end placement support.
The programme is open to youth with a minimum qualification of Class 10, with targeted outreach to encourage women’s participation in manufacturing careers
The centre was inaugurated in the presence of representatives from PCMC and ITI Morwadi, alongside leaders from SKF India (Industrial), Tata STRIVE and Bosch India Foundation.
Commenting on the launch, Sujeeth Pai, Managing Director, SKF India (Industrial), said, “India’s manufacturing ambitions need more than infrastructure, they need skilled, confident people who can thrive on tomorrow’s shopfloor. With SEED, we are bringing industry, government, and development partners together to turn aspiration into employability through hands-on technical learning, digital and AI readiness, recognised certification and placement support. It is a pathway to opportunity, inclusion, and a stronger industrial ecosystem.”
Under the partnership, PCMC provides institutional infrastructure and local ecosystem support; Tata STRIVE brings youth employability and skilling expertise; and Bosch India Foundation contributes specialised shopfloor curriculum, trainer development and candidate assessments based on real industry standards.
Commenting on this, Ameya Vanjari, COO, Tata STRIVE, said: “Building a future-ready workforce requires us to bridge the gap between skilling and industry needs. The SEED Centre reflects the power of collaboration in bringing together industry expertise, government support and Tata STRIVE’s experience in youth skilling and employability. By combining hands-on technical training with digital readiness, workplace skills and placement support, we aim to equip young people with the capabilities and confidence to access meaningful livelihood opportunities. The focus is not just on training, but on enabling sustainable employment and creating a talent pipeline that serves both young people and the manufacturing sector.”
Commenting on the launch, Ravi Landage, Mayor, PCMC, said: “Pimpri-Chinchwad’s industrial progress must translate into opportunities for its communities. SKF’s SEED initiative is a progressive investment in our youth and in a future where economic growth opens doors for everyone. When young people can build independent livelihoods, stronger communities with even stronger India will follow.”
Commenting on this, Vijay Suryavanshi, Commissioner, PCMC, said: “Connecting skill development with industry needs is essential in improving youth employability. SKF’s SEED Centre offers such forward-looking model of civic and industry partnership, creating a clear pathway from training to employment. Such initiatives can help cities turn local potential into productive talent that advance India’s progress.”
SKF India (Industrial) plans to extend the model with a second SEED facility in Bavla, Ahmedabad, in December 2026 building a replicable talent engine that supports youth livelihoods, strengthens the industrial workforce and contributes to India’s Viksit Bharat vision.
Since 1907, SKF has been making some of the world’s most innovative bearings, seals, lubrication systems, condition monitoring solutions, and services to reduce friction. Less friction means more energy saved and by reducing it, we make industry smarter, more competitive, and more energy efficient, building a more sustainable future where we can all do more with less. SKF is represented in approximately 130 countries and has around 17,000 distributor locations worldwide. Annual sales in 2025 were SEK 91,583 million and the number of employees was 37,271.
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