Pune: Alarmed by a finding that only 19 percent of engineering graduates passing out from Indian colleges are employable, an industries association and an educational institute have joined hands to start a finishing school to upgrade their competitive excellence.

The finishing school programme, titled ACE (Association for Competitive Excellence), will be jointly conducted by Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries & Agriculture (MCCIA) and Renaissance Academy for Corporate Excellence (RACE), MCCIA president Madhur Bajaj announced here on Wednesday.

"MCCIA has signed a memorandum of understanding with RACE, a constituent of Renaissance Educational Society. We will conduct the course in the light of the feedback drawn from member industries of MCCIA," Bajaj told reporters.

The survey, whose findings are yet unpublished, was carried out covering 44,000 fresh engineering graduates, most of whom were found lacking in communication and other soft skills, RES chairman Chandrashekhar Rayasam told sources.

"The importance of these skills cannot be over-emphasized in the era of globalisation," Rayasam said.

"The survey clearly brings out the huge gap between the requirement of the industry and availability of talent possessed by our engineering and management graduates," senior MCCIA office bearer Anant Sardeshmukh said, pointing out that the industry has to spend huge amount of time and money to train them.

Bajaj said that MCCIA conducted a seminar for industry-institute partnership last year and made a detailed survey of members to assess the exact need of the industry.

RACE will do the training programmes focusing on key areas of soft skills like personality development, communication skills and leadership development. Aspects like team building, decision making and entrepreneurship development as also business etiquettes and corporate culture will also be dealt with, Rayasam said.

"This will help business and industry to get appropriately skilled manpower at reduced cost and save on time for re-training. On the other hand, it will enhance employment opportunities for the fresh graduates," he added.

ACE will also have long term, full time programmes in human resource development, finance marketing, retailing and insurance, Rayasam said.

RACE plans to involve small and medium enterprise sector to conduct executive development programmes, lectures, workshops and seminars to suit its needs and conduct fundamental research for its benefit. IANS