VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV) and PanIIT Alumni Reach for India Foundation (PARFI), Mumbai, have signed a memorandum of understanding which involves setting up of a driver education program to develop competent drivers for commercial vehicles. Two driver training institutes are planned at Koderma (Jharkhand) and Kolhapur (Maharashtra).

The Driver Education Program (DEP) will focus on providing students hands-on training and making them adept for employment. The commercial vehicle industry in India currently faces an acute shortage of drivers.

VECV has further extended support by offering employment opportunities for trained students. The trained drivers will have the option to work with Eicher’s customers in Odisha, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand. Drivers may also choose to explore other employment avenues as per preference.

VECV has so far established two institutes so far imparting driver training programs at Latur (Maharashtra) & Pune (Maharashtra).

Commenting on the initiative, Vinod Aggarwal, CEO – VECV, said, “The automotive industry is faced with an acute skilled manpower shortage and of this a significant portion are technicians. We are committed towards the cause of promoting skill development and employment generation in the industry. We are pursuing various initiatives across the country. We hope that our efforts reap positive results for the students and drivers who are trained at PARFI.”

Avinash Jupudi, lead sevak – Client & Partners, PanIIT, said, “PARFI is first-of-its-kind, loan-based vocational training provider with assured placement and has demonstrated on‐the‐ground, innovative, sustainable operating model. PARFI trains youth in blue collar trades like masonry, barbending, welding, scaffolding, water tiling, fitting, HVAC, driving and warehousing across its many gurukuls.”