With a vision to transform India into a skilled nation,the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Microsoft today announced a strategic partnership aimed at providing digital skills to over 1 lakh youth in the country over the next 12 months. Microsoft will collaborate with NSDC’s eSkill India portal to provide free access to learning resources and conduct digital skilling awareness drives, equipping the next generation of learners with the skills they need to thrive in a digital economy.
As part of the partnership, Microsoft’s learning resource center, Microsoft Learn will be integrated with the eSkill India digital platform to provide access to personalized learning paths and resources that are in-demand in today’s economy and are well-positioned to continue to grow in the future. These learning paths will cover a broad range of skills, from entry-level digital literacy to advanced product-based skilling in critical technologies like AI and cloud computing, providing numerous opportunities for people to reskill and upskill, placing roles that are in-demand within reach of job seekers.
The partnership with NSDC is an extension of Microsoft’s global skilling initiative to help 25 million people worldwide acquire new digital skills needed for the COVID-19 economy.
Speaking about the partnership, Anant Maheshwari, President, Microsoft India, said, “The digital transformation of India is driving demand for tech-enabled jobs across every industry and with it the need for digital skills. We are deeply invested in creating a digital skills ecosystem that prepares India’s workforce for jobs of the future. Our partnership with NSDC is a strong step in that direction, equipping learners with easily accessible tools and resources needed to succeed in a digital economy.”
Commenting on the initiative, Dr. Manish Kumar, CEO & MD, NSDC, said, “The collaboration aims at accelerating online learning for enhancing employability of the young workforce in a rapidly evolving digital environment. With focus on new-age and advanced skills, the initiative will meet the growing demands of our economy.”
About eSkill India
NSDC’s eSkill India portal provides learners a platform to explore online skill-courses anytime, anywhere. The portal leverages technology to enable skill seekers accelerate their learning through methods like virtual learning and remote classroom. eSkill India catalogues more than 490 e-learning courses in multiple Indian languages through leading knowledge providers.
About National Skill Development Corporation
National Skill Development Corporation, working under the aegis of Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, is a unique public-private-partnership which aims to catalyze creation of quality vocational training ecosystem in India. Since inception in 2010, NSDC has trained more than 2.5 crore people through its partnership with 600+ training partners, 11,000+ training centers spread over 600+ districts across the country. NSDC has established 37 Sector Skill Councils and is implementing Government’s flagship skill development schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra (PMKK), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), among others.