Reflecting Advancements in Building Glass

CHENNAI: Glass Academy (supported by Saint-Gobain Glass India) and Directorate of Technical Education, Chennai, recently included Building Façade Technology and Glass Processing Skill Courses as a part of its elective curriculum for polytechnic colleges in Tamil Nadu.

With an aim to facilitate quality workmanship in glass processing and installation, the Glass Academy Skill Institute – a skill development programme was set up in 2010 by the Glass Academy and State Project Co-ordination Unit, Directorate of Technical Education. Over 300 students underwent the four-month certification course in Building Façade Technology and Glass Processing Skill Curriculum through seven polytechnic institutions in Tamil Nadu.

Glass processing will look into the process of making glass and techniques associated with it. Building Facade Technology deals with the process of building structures that need glass and the technologies used. The glass fabrication course tackles various methods that are used on glass like cutting, drilling, laminating and grinding. Polishing and finishing also come under fabrication. CN Raghavendran, Eminent architect and Chairman of the Glass Academy, who was at the launch said, “The fourth batch recently completed the course and this course helps students groom themselves for employment post education. Courses which were offered as a value addition in PAC Ramasamy Raja Polytechnic, Rajapalayam, TN and PSG Polytechnic College, Coimbatore, TN, will now be offered as elective courses under the regular curriculum.”

In conversation with AR Unnikrishnan, Secretary and Board Member, Glass Academy, and National Head – Sales and Marketing – Saint-Gobain Glass India, it becomes clear that such courses are in demand as there is no formal education available in Glass, Glazing or related fields in the country, while opportunities are plenty.

On this tie-up he said, “Glass Academy partnered with PanIIT Alumni Reach for India (PARFI) to set up, operate, train, place candidates in the Glass Fabrication in a residential manner for entry-level semi-skilled workers with 100 per cent vocational loan financing. These classes can also train and certify over 200-300 workforce per year conducting five-six batches in a year. ”

“We started this initiative to train our people, but we opened up our training and information materials to students as the demand seemed to grow. We developed a curriculum for glass installation and started it in Central Polytechnic College, Chennai, and later it was adopted in other polytechnic colleges. We saw a good response from students and industry. We then explored Glass processing and brought that into the curriculum. A Glass Processing Institute was started and that too met with a good response. It was then we decided to bring in a slightly detailed elective course, which will be much deeper,” explained Unnikrishnan.

This is an industry that will flourish in the years to come, he opines. There are not many programmes in the country that offer training in Glass Processing, Fabrication and Manufacturing. “We are the early bird in imparting training and students have an edge, as the competition is less. Plus the opportunity to experiment and excel is more,” he said.

This programme is unique as it relates to the specific needs of the industry. It involves both practical and theoretical programmes. “We also have links with a lot of industry personnel who come to train students as well. Faculty members also get trained through us in project sites, which will get them ready to tackle students in class,” said Unnikrishnan.

Students who graduate will get jobs in a shop floor or become site engineers. They initially start with hands-on jobs and later move on to manage a team. Within four-five years, they will get to a managerial position. Remuneration will depend on the company they get to work with, but basic salary for an undergraduate will be around `10,000 pm.

Companies hire after attending this course include Saint-Gobain Glass India, Geotrix Building, Saint-Gobain Seva Engineering, Alupro Building Systems, Sree Mugambigai Glazing, Fuso Glass India, TPRS Glass India, Glass and Glazing Systems, Balaji Safety Glass, Geefab Architectural Systems, R and R Alutech, Sakthi Sai Safety Glass, Enviro Safety Glass, Tough Glass, Rubine Glass and Alufit India.