Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, responsible for Education, Skill Development, and Entrepreneurship, oversaw the signing of eight Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) today between agencies from the Ministries of Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and IBM. During the event, the Minister emphasized India’s vast potential, particularly its youthful population, and the importance of equipping young people with the skills necessary for success in the modern workforce. This collaboration represents a significant step toward realizing the vision of a ‘Skilled India’ by enhancing digital skills training and proficiency in emerging technologies through the IBM Skills Build platform. These partnerships aim to empower learners to harness the full potential of technology and become future entrepreneurs and wealth creators.
The MoUs will provide curated courses to empower Indian youth with skills that are essential for the future. The collaboration will focus on developing curricula to skill learners in the fields of school education, higher education, and vocational skills, with a specific focus on emerging technologies such as AI (including generative AI), cybersecurity, cloud computing, and professional development skills.
IBM’s collaboration with the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) will encompass three levels of education:
- School Education: IBM will provide access to digital content from IBM SkillsBuild for high school students, teachers, and trainers in schools identified by Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS), National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), and Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS). This program will be available online, through webinars, and in-person workshops conducted by IBM’s CSR implementation partners. Additionally, IBM will enhance CBSE’s AI curriculum for Grades 11 and 12 and develop cyber skilling and blockchain curricula for high school students, hosted on IBM SkillsBuild.
- Higher Education: IBM, in collaboration with its CSR implementation partners, will work closely with the Department of Higher Education, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology (NIELIT), National Institute of Technical Teachers’ Training & Research (NITTTR) in Chandigarh, and state skilling missions. This collaboration will onboard affiliated students and faculty onto IBM SkillsBuild, providing them access to digital content, experiential learning, and fresh skills to prepare for technical careers.
- Vocational Skills: IBM will continue its central partnership with MSDE, collaborating with the Directorate General of Training (DGT) and state vocational education and skilling departments. Together, they will onboard job seekers, including long-term unemployed individuals and school dropouts, to IBM Skills Build, enabling them to acquire the technical and professional skills needed to re-enter the workforce.