India’s stainless steel industry, poised to grow 8-9 per cent YoY over the next few years, stands at the threshold of major transformation driven by accelerated demand and rapid innovation. As the sector evolves, the need for a skilled, future-ready workforce has never been more crucial.

Aligned with national initiatives like Make in India and Skill India, Jindal Stainless, India’s largest stainless steel producer, is leading this transformation through its Stainless Academy. The initiative empowers students, young professionals, and MSMEs (including fabricators) at the grassroots level with category awareness and future-ready skills, strengthening the value chain and driving sustainable growth across the industry.

Since its inception, the Stainless Academy has trained over 60,000 MSME fabricators, educated around 9000 students across engineering and polytechnic colleges through specialised stainless steel programmes, and conducted industry sessions to strengthen the sector. Building on this momentum, the company aims to reach over 0.5 million MSMEs across India.

“In our pursuit of an Atmanirbhar Bharat, building human capital is paramount. The Stainless Academy is our commitment to shaping that future, by fostering knowledge, skill, and excellence at every level of the value chain. Our goal is not only to prepare a competent workforce, but to build an ecosystem that propels India’s industrial growth on the global stage,” said, Abhyuday Jindal, Managing Director, Jindal Stainless.

A comprehensive approach to building skills across the ecosystem

The Stainless Academy adopts a holistic approach to impart skills, share industry knowledge, and promote innovation at every level of the ecosystem.

Recognising that the strength of any industry is attributed to the talent it includes, the Academy partners with leading academic institutions like IITs, NITs and polytechnic colleges to offer specialised stainless steel courses. This ensures a future-ready talent pool and smoother student transitions into the workforce, strengthening their ability to meet modern industrial challenges. One example of this effort is the company’s MoU for advanced research, teaching, and training in stainless steel applications—including transportation, infrastructure, and logistics—under which classes began earlier this month at Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, Vadodara.

For MSME fabricators, it conducts hands-on training programmes across India to deepen understanding of stainless steel material’s superiority, empowering them to make informed material recommendations. Through its flagship Fabricator Training Programmes (FTPs), the Stainless Academy provides grassroots-level training in fabrication techniques, design, and quality standards. Complementing this are Training Programmes for the Downstream industry, which enhance workforce capabilities. These sessions are conducted through workshops and classroom training, ensuring practical learning and real-world application.

The Academy also conducts industry sessions designed to help enterprises modernise operations, integrate digital technologies, and enhance productivity for global competitiveness.
Expanding the skilling footprint

With an ambitious goal of training over 5 lakh MSMEs by 2030, the Stainless Academy is expanding its footprint across India’s key stainless steel clusters, including Gujarat, Haryana, Delhi-NCR, Maharashtra, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, and West Bengal. By engaging urban and rural communities, the initiative ensures equitable access to modern skill development opportunities.

“Stainless steel, one of the fastest-growing value-added metals in the world, underpins nearly every critical sector of the nation. As the industry evolves, so must the skills that drive it. Through the Stainless Academy, we aim to nurture a culture of continuous learning and upskilling — one that keeps pace with new technologies, processes, and possibilities. It’s not just about training the workforce of today, but preparing the workforce of tomorrow,” said, Vijay Sharma, Director – Corporate Affairs, Jindal Stainless, highlighted the Academy’s vision.

Strategic partnerships with Sector Skills Councils like the Capital Goods SSC and the Iron & Steel SSC have helped strengthen the curriculum for SS. Additionally, the Stainless Academy works with NSDC accredited partners to expand outreach.

Building for the future

Jindal Stainless Academy’s work aligns with India’s vision for industrial self-reliance and global competitiveness. Through technical training, industry collaboration, and community outreach, the company is positioning India’s stainless steel industry for a future-ready workforce that will underpin industrial progress for decades to come.