WorkLabs cell is set up to create an enabling ecosystem for
developing a future-ready workforce. Producing an industry-ready and future-ready
workforce requires a strong collaboration between academia and industry that fosters
innovation and transforms the education system.
About WorkLabs
Academia-connect
Industry-connect
Key Engagements
As a part of Industries Department Budget Announcement in 2021, WorkLabs has been
set up in Guidance. WorkLabs is a cell set up to promote, facilitate, and expand
industry and academia collaboration in the state to address and minimise talent and
skills gap in the workforce for the industries in Tamil Nadu.
The primary roles and
responsibilities of WorkLabs is to:
Engage: With higher and technical education bodies to
facilitate revision and development of core learning curriculum
on par with industrial requirements.
Enhance: Industry participation and involvement with the
academia to develop industry-ready talent pool and higher
employability amongst graduates.
Support: Initiatives and programmes on academia-industry
linkages by other govt. bodies and business chambers.
Lead: Outreach and public engagement activities for
greater visibility of state’s talent and skilled workforce.
Facilitate: Knowledge transfer and seamless mobility of
resources between industry and academia for application-inspired
research and innovation in the state.
Form: Bilateral collaborations and strategic partnerships
between the state and international academia and industry bodies
to develop a talent pipeline on par with global standards.
Industry-academia collaboration framework
Level 1: Aware
Level 2: Engage
Level 3: Progress
Level 4: Innovate
Industrial training workshops for students
Exposure to industrial shop floors
Guest lectures from industry experts for higher
education colleges and universities
Short-term faculty development programme
Longer term and continuous collaboration for
student's internship and apprenticeships on a
regular basis with industries
Campus recruitment and industry-readiness
programmes for students in higher education
Cross appointments - faculty in industry and
industry subject matter experts in colleges
Hackathons
Industrial training hubs and CoEs in colleges
Industry-aligned curriculum reform
Industry-curated programmes and courses offered
at colleges, work-integrated learning programmes
Establishment of tech-enablement centres,
incubators and start-up hubs at colleges backed
by industries
Applied research and industry consultancy at
colleges and universities
Collaborative R&D activities between
industries-academia for real-time
problem-solving engagements
Industry-academia collaboration framework
Level 1: Aware
Industrial training workshops for students
Exposure to industrial shop floors
Guest lectures from industry experts for higher
education colleges and universities
Short-term faculty development programme
Level 2: Engage
Longer term and continuous collaboration for
student's internship and apprenticeships on a
regular basis with industries
Campus recruitment and industry-readiness
programmes for students in higher education
Cross appointments – faculty in industry and
industry subject matter experts in colleges
Level 3: Progress
Hackathons
Industrial training hubs and CoEs in colleges
Industry-aligned curriculum reform
Industry-curated programmes and courses offered
at colleges, work-integrated learning programmes
Level 4: Innovate
Establishment of tech-enablement centres,
incubators and start-up hubs at colleges backed
by industries
Applied research and industry consultancy at
colleges and universities
Collaborative R&D activities between
industries-academia for real-time
problem-solving engagements
WorkLabs identifies and matches the top industries and academic institutions in the
State. In collaboration with the industries and universities/colleges, the cell
helps design curriculums for programs/certifications/credit courses focused on
experiential learning.
Partnering opportunities for
Academic institutions
Sector-Terrain consultation: to determine requirements
for long-term fundamental research in the specific sector
setting. University expertise can be mapped to the industrial
sector for collaboration opportunities.
Faculty Orientation Programmes: Faculty to spend up to
two years in industrial laboratories to gain invaluable
experience of working on complex industrial projects.
Innovation Management: To catalyse entrepreneurial
activities in the campus through creation of incubation centres,
and technology/research parks
Establishing Research Relationship: Academic institution
and industry mutually support each other in receiving patent for
products, tech transfer and faculties to take up applied
research
Hackathons: Conducting concept competition in colleges to
develop proposals on the core areas of entrepreneurship, design
thinking and applied education
Curriculum, Jobs, Internships: To enjoin inclusion of
industry experts in all boards of studies, curriculum revision
and create jobs/internships opportunities for students.
Our key stakeholders from the academia
Department of
Employment and Training
Tamil Nadu Skills
Development Corporation
State Higher Education
Department
Research and Innovation Hubs
NSQF Levels 1 - 4 (Unskilled workforce, ITI
students and technicians)
Industrial Training Institutes - infrastructure
and faculty development supported by industries
Support in mobilising industries for district
and state level job fairs and recruitment
drives.
NSQF Levels 4 - 7 (ITI students, Polytechnic and
undergraduates)
Naan Mudhalvan - Facilitation of skills and
recruitment proposals from large industries.
Onboarding industries as partners in the web
portal.
Facilitation of partnerships with skills
development bodies run/supported by industries
NSQF Levels 6 - 7 (Diploma, Undergraduate and
Post Graduate Programmes)
Industrial training hubs and CoEs in colleges
Industry-aligned curriculum reform, faculty
development, internships and recruitment support
Industry-curated programmes and courses offered
at colleges, work-integrated learning programmes
NSQF Levels 7 - 10 (Undergraduate, Post Graduate
and Doctoral Programmes)
Tech-enablement centres and tech-incubators at
academic institutions with support from
industries
Tech transfer and commercialisation of research
Applied research and industry consultancy at R&D
centres and universities
Our key stakeholders from the academia
Department of Employment and Training
NSQF Levels 1 - 4 (Unskilled workforce, ITI
students and technicians)
Industrial Training Institutes - infrastructure
and faculty development supported by industries
Support in mobilising industries for district
and state level job fairs and recruitment
drives.
Tamil Nadu Skills Development Corporation
NSQF Levels 4 - 7 (ITI students, Polytechnic and
undergraduates)
Naan Mudhalvan - Facilitation of skills and
recruitment proposals from large industries.
Onboarding industries as partners in the web
portal.
Facilitation of partnerships with skills
development bodies run/supported by industries
State Higher Education Department
NSQF Levels 6 - 7 (Diploma, Undergraduate and
Post Graduate Programmes)
Industrial training hubs and CoEs in colleges
Industry-aligned curriculum reform, faculty
development, internships and recruitment support
Industry-curated programmes and courses offered
at colleges, work-integrated learning programmes
Research and Innovation Hubs
NSQF Levels 7 - 10 (Undergraduate, Post Graduate
and Doctoral Programmes)
Tech-enablement centres and tech-incubators at
academic institutions with support from
industries
Tech transfer and commercialisation of research
Applied research and industry consultancy at R&D
centres and universities
Please use this form if you are an academic institution and would like to collaborate with us
WorkLabs coordinates with governmental agencies/departments to ensure a seamless and
one-stop approach for enabling industries in creating talent in the State. This will
catalyse the transformation required in institutions and industries that is required
to create a future-ready workforce.
Partnering opportunities for
Industries
Sector-Terrain consultation: to determine requirements
for long-term training, research and development in the specific
sector setting. Industries willing to engage with research
institutions for critical problem solving and innovation
Cross Appointment Programmes: Industries willing to
engage with academic faculty and enable them to gain invaluable
experience of working on complex industrial projects. Industry
subject matter experts willing to engage as adjunct faculty in
academia
Innovation Management: willing to support entrepreneurial
activities in the academic campus through creation of incubation
centres, and technology/research parks
Establishing Research Relationship: Industries keen to
engage with academic institution in receiving patent for
products, tech transfer and with faculties to take up applied
research
Hackathons: Industries willing to host, co-create concept
competition in colleges to develop core areas of
entrepreneurship, design thinking and applied education
Curriculum, Jobs, Internships: Inclusion of industry
experts in all boards of studies, curriculum revision and create
jobs/internships opportunities for students
NSQF Levels 1 - 4 (Unskilled workforce, ITI
students and technicians)
Industrial Training Institutes - infrastructure
and faculty development supported by industries
Support in mobilising industries for district
and state level job fairs and recruitment
drives.
Tamil Nadu Skills Development Corporation
NSQF Levels 4 - 7 (ITI students, Polytechnic and
undergraduates)
Naan Mudhalvan - Facilitation of skills and
recruitment proposals from large industries.
Onboarding industries as partners in the web
portal.
Facilitation of partnerships with skills
development bodies run/supported by industries
Please use this form if you are an industry and would like to collaborate with us
Sector-specific think tanks: Over 12 sector-specific
roundtables were conducted, involving around 150 industry
leaders from 110 organisations, for identifying challenges and
gap areas in industry-academia collaboration.
Faculty development: and industrial exposure programs
were conducted for faculty from government engineering and
polytechnic colleges, in partnership with industries
Naan Mudhalvan: Industries Onboarding - large industries
from e-commerce, automotive, electronics, advanced
manufacturing, chemical engineering and industrial engineering
onboarded on the Naan Mudhalvan web portal
Recruitment and Internships: Industrial internships
facilitated for over 1000 graduate students in 50+ industries.
Curriculum Reform: In consultation with DoTE and TANSCHE
and industry experts to support curriculum reform for collegiate
and higher education programmes, benefitting over 200,000
graduate students in the state every year.
Strategic MoUs: signed with organisations for new
work-integrated degree/diploma programs, industry-led
skilling programs, industrial consultancy and applied research,
and collaborating with international skill bodies in countries
such as Japan, USA, Germany, and Singapore.
Universities Outreach to Explore R&D Collaborations
Support for Industries in Workforce Recruitment and Skill Development
Faculty Development Programmes for Higher Education Institutions
Launch of Work-integrated Degree Programmes
Onboarding Industry Partners for Naan Mudhalvan
International Outreach: AOTS Japan to set up Japan Institutes of Manufacturing in Tamil Nadu
Establishment and Support for Innovation Centres
Industry-led Curriculum Reform for Higher Technical Education in Tamil Nadu
Sector-specific Stakeholder Consultations
Universities Outreach to Explore R&D Collaborations
Support for Industries in Workforce Recruitment and Skill Development
Faculty Development Programmes for Higher Education Institutions
Launch of Work-integrated Degree Programmes
Onboarding Industry Partners for Naan Mudhalvan
International Outreach: AOTS Japan to set up Japan Institutes of Manufacturing in Tamil Nadu
Establishment and Support for Innovation Centres
Industry-led Curriculum Reform for Higher Technical Education in Tamil Nadu