Within the frame of the 2019 strategic partnership on skill development between the Indian Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Dassault Aviation, to set up an “Aeronautical Structure and Equipment Fitter”, vocational training program, the National Skill Training Institute (NSTI), Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh), and Dassault Aviation signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the implementation of a Centre of Excellence to be part of the new Indian Institute of Skills (IIS), on the NSTI Campus.

This new Center of Excellence is part of the national deployment plan for the global training and education initiative, as elaborated by the Dassault Skill Academy program, to fulfil the requirements of the global aerospace industry and to position India as a world reference in terms of competencies in aeronautics.

It comes after an initial implementation at the Government Industrial Training Institute (GITI) in Nagpur (Maharashtra) in September 2019 out of which three classes are successfully graduated and graduates already hired by several Indian aerospace companies, including Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited (DRAL), since June 2022. From September 2023, GITI Pune and GITI Nasik (both from Maharashtra) have implemented the course.

Ranging from design to production and in-service support & maintenance, in terms of highly qualified work force, throughout the entire spectrum of educational levels from Vocational to Higher Education, Dassault Skill Academy programs aim at creating and nurturing a 'best-in-class' pool of Indian talents from the public education system, for the benefit of the entire aero-defence manufacturing eco-system in India.

It will contribute to foster the outreach of all Indian students keen of innovation, technology and aeronautics toward self-reliance in the design, development and production of aeronautical equipment and platforms matching the highest standards in this field, serving India's youth professional fulfillment and to participate to Indian economic prosperity.