TÜV Rheinland focuses on vocational training in India

In December 2013 a business transfer agreement was signed between TÜV Rheinland India and NIFE India regarding the takeover of the NIFE training activities. NIFE is a major provider of vocational education, a strongly growing market in India. NIFE is currently already present in seven Indian states and 70 cities. Overall, 300 trainers for education and vocational training are working in the areas of fiber optic technology, elevator technology, fire protection and safety technology.

Dr. Manfred Bayerlein, CEO of TÜV Rheinland AG: "The acquisition of NIFE constitutes a significant step forward in the Indian market. Our company now has more than 900 employees in India, one of the most rapidly growing national economies in the world. In addition, TÜV Rheinland NIFE Academy is a key component of our strategy for 2017."

The Indian training market has major potential since it does not have a formal training system for tradespersons, technicians or skilled workers like the vocational training system in Germany, for example. It is assumed that only around 4 per cent of the population has formal vocational training, another 10 per cent is trained without a qualification and 86 per cent of the approximately 1.3 billion Indians do not have any formal vocational training.

TÜV Rheinland NIFE Academy's primary target group is young people between the ages of 17 and 24, and it offers an extremely wide range of courses ranging from seminars lasting several days to university degrees.

Stephan Schmitt, Chief International Officer at TÜV Rheinland AG: "The Indian economy is increasingly on the lookout for trained specialists. Eight out of ten young people to complete a training course at TÜV Rheinland NIFE Academy find a job in a company immediately upon completion."

Siegfried Schmauder, Executive Vice President of Training and Consulting: "Qualified employees are essential for the continued growth of the Indian economy. TÜV Rheinland NIFE Academy forms the basis for rolling out further vocational education courses from TÜV Rheinland in India."