Latest news with #SkillDevelopmentMission
New Indian Express
29-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Minister Nara Lokesh taps Singapore expertise to build future-ready talent pool
VIJAYAWADA: HRD, IT and Electronics Minister Nara Lokesh shared a bold vision for the future of education and skill development in Andhra Pradesh. Speaking at a roundtable conference titled 'Skills to Competencies: Accelerating Workforce Transformation' in Singapore, he emphasised that traditional education systems no longer suffice in a fast-changing, tech-driven world, adding, 'The Fourth Industrial Revolution demands more than technical knowledge. It requires adaptability, innovation and complex problem-solving.' The minister affirmed that Andhra Pradesh is revamping its university curricula to include skill-based programmes aligned with global trends to meet these challenges, and is fostering a culture of lifelong learning. He announced the State government's readiness to collaborate with Singapore institutions like Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) to establish skill-based universities focused on continuous education. Andhra Pradesh is also keen to work with Singapore Management University (SMU) and Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) to integrate industry needs into academic programmes, he said. 'Andhra Pradesh is investing in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain and IoT. The State plans to partner with SMU's Lab to develop AI-centric education and research programmes,' Lokesh emphasised. He cited Singapore's SkillsSG Ventures as a model for aligning skill-building with industry needs, a strategy AP plans to adopt through its Skill Development Mission. He revealed that the State government is also exploring partnerships with institutions like the National University of Singapore (NUS) for student exchange programmes, joint research and global exposure. 'The challenges of workforce transformation are global, and our solutions must be global too,' Lokesh said. 'By combining Andhra Pradesh's vision with Singapore's expertise, we can create a globally competitive workforce.' NUS Registrar R Rajaram, NTU Associate Vice President Sia Siew, SMU Professor Pradeep Reddy, SUTD Chair Professor Rajesh Elara Mohan, SUSS Associate Professor Yap Meen Sheng and SkillsSG Ventures directors were present.
Hans India
15-07-2025
- Business
- Hans India
World Youth Skills Day celebrated in Greater Noida: Focus on empowering people through AI, digital skills
Greater Noida: World Youth Skills Day was celebrated on Tuesday with great enthusiasm in Greater Noida, with a series of discussions and events dedicated to empowering young people with cutting-edge skills. Stakeholders from government agencies, training institutes, and industry partners gathered to highlight how initiatives like the Skill Development Mission are transforming the lives of the youth by equipping them with industry-relevant skills and facilitating employment opportunities. Hundreds of young people in Greater Noida have found gainful employment through the Skill Development Mission. Beneficiaries shared that apart from professional training, they are also being provided with essential amenities like food and accommodation during their learning period, ensuring that financial hardship does not stand in the way of acquiring valuable skills. The scheme also places a strong emphasis on making women self-reliant by offering tailored training and job opportunities. This year's World Youth Skills Day carries special significance as it marks the 10th anniversary of the Skill India Mission. Launched in 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the mission was designed to transform India into a global hub of skilled talent by equipping youth with industry-relevant capabilities, promoting entrepreneurship, and supporting sustainable livelihoods. The Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) is part of the Ministry of Rural Development's National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) and aims to reduce poverty by providing sustainable employment to over 550 lakh poor rural youth. It focusses on placing candidates in jobs that offer regular monthly wages at or above the minimum wage, significantly improving the livelihoods of families across India. World Youth Skills Day is observed every year on July 15 to underline the strategic importance of empowering young people with skills necessary for employment, decent work, and entrepreneurship. The United Nations General Assembly declared this day in 2014, following a resolution initiated by Sri Lanka. The first celebration in 2015 coincided with the launch of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which places strong emphasis on quality education and decent work for all. The theme for this year, 'Youth Empowerment Through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Skills,' reflects the transformative role of technology in shaping careers and societies. As AI continues to redefine industries, building digital literacy and advanced technical capabilities among youth is critical to ensuring they become leaders of change rather than passive participants. The celebration in Greater Noida included motivational addresses, skill demonstrations, and inspiring success stories from beneficiaries. Anita, a participant of the programme, shared her journey: 'Earlier, I didn't know what to do. With this Yojana, I came to Greater Noida. Now I am working as a floor manager in a hospital. This scheme changed my life.' Manisha, another beneficiary, highlighted the entrepreneurial boost the scheme has given her. 'I took three months of sewing training. We now have around 20 machines and are getting orders from Noida, Delhi, and Gurugram. We have done business worth Rs 30 lakh so far," she told IANS. The event also showcased how initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) and the Skill India Digital Hub are accelerating India's journey to becoming a global skill powerhouse. Since 2015, over 1.6 crore youths have been trained under PMKVY across 38 sectors ranging from manufacturing and traditional crafts to healthcare, IT, electronics, and retail. Importantly, 45 per cent of those trained under PMKVY are women, and a significant proportion belong to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes, demonstrating the government's focus on inclusive growth. This widespread training effort has contributed to a notable increase in job-readiness among college graduates — from 34 per cent in 2014 to over 51 per cent in 2024. With nearly 65 per cent of India's population under the age of 35, skilling and youth empowerment remain critical to securing the country's economic future.
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
TN aims for ‘decent work' for all by 2030
Chennai: Tamil Nadu is focusing on 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) including productive employment and decent work for all by 2030. The vision document prepared by the State Planning Commission and planning and development department also lays emphasis on reducing poverty in all its forms, promoting sustainable agriculture, access to modern energy, urgent action to combat climate change, protecting life below water and on land. Quality education for all, gender equality, empowerment of women, building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation, sustainable consumption and production patterns are other major goals. The document provides a comprehensive plan for achieving the SDGs by fostering the goal of 'Development for All'. Underscoring the state govt's support through various initiatives, it said, the TN Rural Transformation Project works to improve the economic conditions of rural communities by promoting livelihood opportunities, access to markets and financial services, and enhancing the productivity of agriculture and allied sectors. Further, the initiatives such as Skill Development Mission and TN Industrial Investment Corporation are helping towards achieving sustained economic growth and decent employment. Another goal emphasized on ensuring access to affordable, sustainable, and modern energy for all, while the goal on climate action stressed the need to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts by regulating emissions and promoting developments in renewable energy. While the goal to protect life below water by using ocean resources sustainably and making ocean contamination free, the goal relating to protection of life on land is through conserving and restoring TN's terrestrial ecosystems.
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Global fin giant reviews UP's skill development efforts
Lucknow: In its mission to empower youth through skill development and take the state's economy to trillion-dollar target, minister for vocational education and skill development, Kapil Dev Agarwal, on Wednesday met representatives from Deloitte India . Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Reviewing progress of various skill development schemes and discussing future initiatives, Agarwal said govt's focus was on quality training and making youth employable. According to Agarwal, govt planned to combine local needs with modern technology while training youths. Additionally, govt is working with industrial training institutes and Skill Development Mission to launch job-oriented courses that will help young people find employment easily. The minister urged Deloitte representatives to participate in regular meetings for next two years and come up with progress report. Agarwal instructed his team to provide quality training to youth to help them get jobs and earn livelihood. During the meeting, Agarwal said promoting apprenticeships is one of the top priorities and all stakeholders must have effective communication with each other so that there was no dearth of opportunities for youth. He also asked officials to review schemes based on feedback from students, including random calls and field inspections to engage directly with students. The minister suggested that organising programmes and meetings at divisional level will expedite implementation of schemes. For effective monitoring, data on training given to youths, including their trade and mobile numbers, should be recorded on the Skill Mitra portal, he said. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now During the meeting, some of the youths who underwent training were contacted by phone and positive feedback was received about the schemes. Principal secretary, vocational education and skill development, Hariom and director, Skill Development Mission, Pulkit Khare, participated in the meeting.
