Danfoss India unveiled its latest Danfoss Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Lab and Training Centre at Swami Vivekananda Rural Community College (SVRCC), Puducherry on January 23. It was inaugurated by Dr. Kiran Bedi, Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, in the presence of Dr. Xavier Alphonse, Director, Indian Centre for Research & Development of Community Education, G. V. Subrahmanian, Director, Swami Vivekananda Rural Community College and Ravichandran Purushothaman, President, Danfoss India. The facility comprises of a fully equipped RAC workshop, three training rooms and a project room. This is a step towards extending support to create a sustainable livelihood for students from economically challenged backgrounds in the local community and help address the skill gap in the Indian refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) industry.

Speaking at the inauguration, Dr. Kiran Bedi said, “The training centre will pave the way for the creation of several new jobs in the market. The opportunity that Danfoss has created by setting it up will go a long way in opening up a world of opportunities, both in India and the rest of the world, for the students in Puducherry.” Danfoss’ current three-phased continuous engagement program with SVRCC includes the setting up of a high-class lab with Danfoss’ latest compressors, condensing unit and drives technology and a project area that enables students to experiment and innovate on working models in the RAC space, which can be applied in the industry. The second phase includes faculty training programs, industry visits, certification and a course curriculum review and revamp by Danfoss experts, followed by an opportunity for the top students of every batch to visit the Danfoss campus in Oragadam for a special training on ammonia plant operation and maintenance. The final phase includes internships, placement support and scholarships offered to deserving candidates to pursue higher education.

Danfoss is also set to launch a new ‘Danfoss Academic Best Project Award’ to recognize and reward novel out-of-the-box solutions from the RAC students, thereby making the best use of Danfoss project room and lab facilities.
As part of Danfoss India’s CSR initiative, Danfoss utilizes its business and domain expertise in energy solutions, refrigeration and air conditioning to enhance the facilities of RAC courses in select government polytechnics and rural community colleges in various parts of India. These training centres are equipped with modern infrastructure, Danfoss RAC products, cut-sections, working models, tool kits, e-learning stations and other learning essentials that are expected to benefit over 500 students every year in the local communities.