As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited has launched Dalmia Institute of Construction to empower rural youth with employable skills.

The facility, which will become functional from May, is expected to address the shortage of trained professionals faced by the construction industry, T. Venkatesan, company chief executive officer and whole-time director, told mediapersons on Tuesday.

The free training programme is open for students above 18 years of age with qualification of a pass in Plus Two or a polytechnic course. Faculty for the training will be drawn from industry and the Dalmia group. Practical training in cement and its usage will be provided at the Dalmiapuram factory, while on site training on the latest trends in construction will be imparted by reputed builders among the company’s clients.

An intake of 25 to 30 students has been planned initially for the intensive training programme of three to four months duration. Periodic assessments will be followed by written and practical tests after which successful candidates will be issued training certificate and placement assistance, said Mr. Venkatesan.

Based on the success of the training programme, the CSR initiative will be extended through the company’s other units in the country.

While providing employable skills, the Institute will also bring in higher quality awareness and standards into the skill-based profession, he said.

Mr. Venkatesan launched the facility in the presence of the company’s senior functionaries including P. Acharya, V. Balasubramanian and S.S. Jain.