What is NATS? Definition, Benefits & Eligibility

The Indian Government is looking to increase the number of apprentices from around 14 lakhs in 2022 to 50 lakhs in a few years. This is an ambitious goal, one that demands that employers cooperate and work with the government to achieve it. Employers are opening to the idea of apprenticeship in India, and it is becoming just as popular a concept as internship.

What is the full form of NATS?

NATS stands for National Apprenticeship Training Scheme. It was instituted by the Government of India in 2006 to give students fresh out of college the opportunity to go in for apprenticeship, learn skills that will serve them for a lifetime and get ahead in their career.

What are the Objectives of NATS?

Not all training that is received in college is useful and such training generally does not let you be job ready. The main objective of the NATS training program is to provide skill training to help people find jobs in the formal sector and vocational skill training for jobs in private institutions. The other objectives of the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme in India are:

1. To enable employers to develop skilled manpower to meet future challenges posed by technological or regulatory changes.
2. To generate job opportunities that are sustainable for marginalized communities, aligning them to office jobs, with preference given to women and those engaged in traditional roles.
3. To create jobs and self-employment for youth, catalysing entrepreneurship and improving wages.

What are the Key Features of NATS?

There are several features that set the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme apart as a one-of-a-kind and very innovative apprenticeship training scheme. Let us look at some of the main features now:

1. The scheme provides a period of 1 year to observe the performance of the candidate before making them regular full-time employees.
2. Through the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme, the government pays back the employer 50% of the minimum payment that must be made to the apprentices for their services.
3. The training scheme ensures that there is no shortfall of manpower in the organization to accomplish the tasks.
4. The scheme allows establishments to address even future requirements for human resources.
5. Designated trades are offered by the Government and optional trades by private institutions. Under this scheme, both optional and designated trades have been addressed.
6. If an establishment is operating its business in several states of India, then it can operate on a national basis.

How is NATS Beneficial?

NATS is beneficial in several ways. Some of the key benefits of the NATS training program are:

1. Employers can address problems with skill gaps, making sure that there aren’t any in the organisation.
2. Employers enrolled with NATS training are exempt from EPF and ESI contributions.
3. A proactive workforce is created through skill development, becoming an asset to the organisation.
4. The cost of hiring comes down rapidly, as apprentices trained through the program start contributing immediately.
5. If the apprentices do not perform to satisfactory levels, then the employer is not committed to employ them.
6. The observed attrition rates after an apprenticeship training program are also low, as apprentices tend to stay loyal to the company.
7. Helps project your brand is one that cares about the local population and wants to engage with them.

Which Businesses Can Implement NATS?

All businesses with a minimum headcount of 4 to 29 are eligible for registering under the NATS scheme and those with a headcount of over 30 must mandatorily register under the National Apprenticeship Training Programme. Other than this, employers must satisfy basic eligibility requirements too and have a valid mobile number and email ID to use on behalf of the business.

Eligibility and Requirements for Employers

An initial eligibility assessment is done before the enrolment happens at a system for the National Apprenticeship Training registration. The employer must have a valid mobile number to receive the OTP. The enrolment details are sent to the email ID, so it is necessary to provide a valid email ID as well.

Eligibility requirements

The documents required for eligibility are:

1. Incorporation Certificate.
2. PAN/TAN
3. Last year’s IT returns.
4. Internal committee’s findings regarding any issue of sexual harassment.
5. Total hands employed in on-roll, contractual, and full-time roles etc.
6. Training module for apprentices on a yearly basis.
7. Brief info regarding the establishment (<1MB size).
8. Mobile number to receive OTP.
9. Email IDto receive all the relevant details.

Note: All documents must be attested by an authority and office seal must be placed on all of them.

Enrolment

After reading the enrolment guidelines clearly, the establishment must then initiate the enrolment process with the eligibility documents ready. They will be asked a series of questions for which they would need to provide inputs.

The establishment must then provide each document required to prove their eligibility. An internal committee is also required which must inform the National Apprenticeship Training registration team about any sexual harassment in the company.

There must also be a structured apprenticeship training module. If the company lacks one, then it will lead to delays in NATS enrolment. In the company info space, the employer needs to mention the workplace address and the headquarters and the corporate office locations.

Finding the Right Third party NATS Training Agency

Once you have decided to enrol for NATS, you must then find the right NATS training agency. Finding the right NATS training agency is quite a task. This will take up quite a bit of your time and you may still not find the right one. Your apprenticeship training journey should ideally begin with Alp. For the NATS scheme, there are four ways in which Alp Consulting can assist you.

1. Submission of contract on behalf of the employer on the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme
2. Posting the details of returns on behalf of the employer.
3. Submission of attendance details of each apprentice on the payroll.
4. Request for reimbursement from the government for each apprentice.
5. Following all formalities of trade apprentice.

Closing Words

When you think of apprenticeship as an employer, it always seems like a good idea, but if you do not have the capacity to train or the time to do so, you are left with wondering what to do. Here’s where a third party NATS training provider can be an asset for your organization. They will help serve as the mediator between your organization and the government and work to get things done for you. Alp Consulting could be the agency you need. If you are looking to find a no-compromise, assured, and speedy solution to your NATS training conundrum, we at Alp Consulting are here to help!

FAQs

1. What is National Apprenticeship Training Scheme?

National Apprenticeship Training Scheme is a scheme incorporated by the Government of India to further the growth of apprenticeship in India. It was started in the year 2016 and as of today there are around 14 lakh apprentices in India, thanks to the programme.

2. What is the salary of an apprentice under the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme?

The starting salary of anyone employed as apprentice under NATS is 11,000 in the present year, as announced by the Government of India for a one-year duration.

3. Is NATS certificate valuable?

The NATS training programme empowers the youth of our nation by providing them skills that will enable them to secure higher paying jobs over time and maintain a higher standard of living. The certificate from NATS is proof that you have undergone NATS training and is valuable whenever you apply for a job.

4. How long is the NATS training?

The NATS training lasts for one year and during that time the apprentices are trained in offices or their places of work. They acquire skills and practical knowledge that will help them with their work.

5. Is NATS training only for engineering students?

Any degree holder or student pursuing degree can apply for NATS. The basic idea of NATS is to bridge the skill gaps that comes up with acquiring different degrees.

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