The city-based Vishwakarma Institute of Technology had arranged a workshop for the class IV employees of engineering colleges across the state. For everyone, it was a first-of-its-kind experience in their 20 to 25 years of service. It was an opportunity for them to share their experiences.

The VIT had arranged the workshop under the Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme of Directorate of Technical Education. As many as 39 class IV employees participated in the workshop happening for the first time in any technical institute.

“As many technical institutes are collaborating with the international institutes, a lot of changes have taken place in the work culture. The idea of the workshop was to give orientation about it to the class IV employees,” said Ashish Mujumdar, coordinator of the workshop. “We had arranged lectures about work culture, some team building exercises and an open session,” he said.

“The lecture on work culture has lifted our confidence. The workshop made us realise that we are an inevitable part of the organisation,” said Govardhan Patait, a peon at MIT.

“I have been attending such a workshop for the first time in my 21 years of service as a peon. It has boosted my confidence,” said N B Gavali who is working as a peon in Kopargaon Engineering College.

According to Arun Bhuruk of VIT, “it was a good break. The lectures were good. We also got lessons in hospitality which will help,” he said.

“We got to learn how to develop leadership and work as a team. Moreover, it was unbelievable that the college had made first-class arrangements even for class IV employees like us,” said Ashok Khade, lab attendant at VIT. “The session where we got lesson in how to manage your resources and do financial planning was useful,” said Ganesh Bhagade, who is working as a peon in Pimpri-Chinchwad College of engineering in Nigdi.

Meenakshi Gaikwad of Pune Vidyarthi Gruha got special recommendation for her creative participation in the workshop.