MAAC opens Thane training centre for digital skills

MAAC has opened a new training centre in Thane, expanding its presence in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

The academy, a training brand of Aptech, will teach animation, visual effects, gaming, graphic design, digital content creation and multimedia to students in Thane and nearby areas.

The 2,500-square-foot facility can accommodate more than 500 students at a time. It includes a chroma setup, a dedicated lab, and access to software and other production tools for practical work.

The opening comes as Thane and surrounding districts attract more education providers and employers, with demand rising for workers trained in digital media, design and related fields. MAAC sees the area as an important market within Maharashtra's growing education and employment base.

Aptech executives who attended the inauguration included Sandip Weling, Whole-time Director and Chief Business Officer, Global Retail, Aptech; Kallol Mukherjee, Executive Vice President and Business Head, MAAC; Abir Aich, Executive Vice President, Academics and Content M&E, Aptech; and Farrukh Khan, Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, Aptech.

The centre adds to MAAC's wider network in India and overseas. Founded in 2001, the institute now has more than 130 centres globally across more than 65 cities.

Skills demand

The expansion reflects continued interest in training linked to India's animation, visual effects, gaming, comics and extended reality segment, often referred to as AVGC-XR. Training providers in this market are responding to demand from film, streaming, gaming, advertising and digital content businesses for workers with production and design skills.

MAAC says its courses are designed around industry requirements and practical learning. The Thane centre will focus on preparing students for work in animation, VFX, gaming, digital design, film-making, broadcast, and virtual and augmented reality.

The institute says former students have gone on to roles across the media and entertainment sector in India and abroad, including at production houses, visual effects studios, game companies and digital agencies.

Weling linked the Thane launch to broader changes in the market for creative and technical skills.

"India's AVGC-XR sector is at an inflection point, creating unprecedented opportunities for skilled creative professionals. Thane has evolved into a vibrant education and commercial hub, with a growing pool of young talent seeking careers in the creative industries. The launch of our new MAAC centre reflects our commitment to making world-class creative education more accessible while building a future-ready talent pipeline for the animation, VFX, gaming and digital content industries. Through industry-aligned curriculum, cutting-edge infrastructure and experiential learning, we aim to empower students with the skills required to succeed in an increasingly technology-driven creative landscape," said Sandip Weling, Chief Business Officer, Global Retail Business, Aptech, and Brand Custodian, MAAC.

The new facility is intended to give students greater access to hands-on training and production-oriented learning.

Its facilities are designed to support practical exercises alongside classroom-based instruction across different creative disciplines.

The centre will also serve students from nearby parts of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region who are looking to build skills for careers in media and entertainment.

As digital content continues to expand across film, advertising, gaming and online platforms, demand for specialised creative skills is expected to remain an important consideration for training providers.

MAAC's Thane expansion therefore adds another local option for students seeking vocational training in animation, visual effects, gaming and related digital fields.