Empowering Rural Youth with Essential Skills
Bengaluru, India – July 3, 2024: Infosys Foundation, the philanthropic and CSR arm of Infosys, announced a significant step towards increasing the employability of young learners in rural India.
By signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ICT Academy of Tamil Nadu, a non-profit organization, the foundation aims to provide relevant skills to students pursuing engineering, arts, and science courses in tier 2 and tier 3 cities across the country.
Establishing Centers of Excellence
Under this MoU, Infosys Foundation will help set up ‘Centers of Excellence for Women and Youth Empowerment’ in over 450 colleges across India. These centers will act as hubs for skill development and training, offering both online and offline programs.
The curriculum includes 80 hours of core skills training and 20 hours of soft skills training. Additionally, there will be placement facilitation for certified students, youth empowerment summits, and coding practice sessions focused on solving real-world problems.
Ambitious Training Goals
This joint initiative aims to skill 48,000 students over three years in various sectors including IT, banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI), retail, e-commerce, logistics, and knowledge process outsourcing (KPO). Infosys Foundation has committed a grant of over INR 33 crore for this project.
Leveraging Digital Platforms
The initiative will also utilize Infosys Springboard, Infosys’ flagship digital learning platform, to make learning and skilling more accessible to students. This will enhance the reach and impact of the training programs.
Leaders’ Insights
Sumit Virmani, Trustee, Infosys Foundation, emphasized the foundation’s commitment to education and employability, stating, “At Infosys Foundation, education is the cornerstone of our commitment to empowering the less fortunate. And education must create pathways to employability. Through our collaboration with the ICT Academy, we will equip young learners in rural India with essential technical and soft skills, consequently improving their industry-readiness and employability in today’s dynamic talent landscape. We are confident that this initiative will encourage our youth to excel across disciplines of their choice and create sustainable careers.”
V Srikanth, Chief Executive Officer, ICT Academy, highlighted the evolving industry demands and the initiative’s long-term benefits, saying, “As the industry rapidly evolves, the demand for a workforce skilled in advanced IT, KPO, BFSI, retail, e-commerce, and logistics has never been higher. According to a recent report, India’s IT industry alone is projected to generate over 2 million new jobs by 2027.
This initiative by Infosys Foundation is not just about meeting the immediate needs of the job market; it’s about investing in the long-term career success of 48,000 students over the next three years. For graduating students, this translates to enhanced employability and greater career opportunities. We are proud to collaborate with Infosys Foundation and work towards building a stronger, future-ready India.”
This collaboration marks a significant milestone in empowering rural youth with the skills needed to thrive in today’s competitive job market, fostering a brighter future for thousands of students across India.
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