Establishment of 50 New Future Skill Centres and 10 International Academies for Skill Development
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Synopsis
The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) is set to create 50 Future Skills Centres and 10 International Academies to enhance skill development in India. This initiative aims to equip youth for job markets, expand training infrastructure, and foster collaborations with premier institutions.
Key Takeaways
- 50 Future Skills Centres and 10 International Academies to be established.
- Partnerships with 33 global corporations to enhance training.
- Plans to onboard 1 million students and expand career pathways.
- Over 40 million candidates trained, with significant job placements.
- Focus on socio-economic inclusivity and international mobility.
New Delhi, Feb 13 (NationPress) The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) of the Union government has revealed plans to establish at least 50 new Future Skills Centres and 10 NSDC International Academies to enhance skill development and training initiatives in the nation.
Currently, 33 global companies have collaborated, and 21 Future Skills Centres have been set up in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Ved Mani Tiwari, CEO of NSDC, outlined this strategic plan aimed at equipping Indian youth for both domestic and international job markets.
Discussing the National Apprenticeship Programme, Tiwari mentioned that NSDC has played a vital role in apprenticeship initiatives from the financial year 2018-19 to 2024-25. Over 3.5 million apprentices have been engaged across various sectors, and 0.56 million assessments have been successfully conducted to ensure skill proficiency.
The expansion of the network has led to the creation of over 49,000 training centres that engage apprentices, alongside 170 Training Partner Aggregators (TPAs) enlisted to facilitate skill training.
Regarding financial investments, a total fund allocation of Rs 100,250 million has been designated to support apprenticeship programs. The National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) has disbursed grants of Rs 10.46 billion, with the industry contributing Rs 288.93 billion towards these initiatives.
Tiwari stated, “The quantity of industry-aligned programs will surpass 300, addressing 12 major emerging technologies. Our aim is to train over 200,000 candidates and build more than 2.70 lakh square feet of training infrastructure, thereby enhancing employability and workforce readiness.”
NSDC is committed to making quality education available to students from tier two and three colleges by overcoming challenges in emerging technologies through partnerships with Institutes of National Importance.
To date, 11 premier institutions have collaborated to launch 17 micro-credential programs, awarding over 75,000 credits and training more than 5,000 candidates.
NSDC intends to partner with 15 premium institutions, introduce over 30 micro-credential programs, and provide around 180,000 credits, further broadening access to quality education and skill development, according to Tiwari.
As part of the Job-as-Skills model, he noted, “Plans are in place to onboard 1 million students, establish MoUs with leading OEMs, engage training partners, select industry-specific tools, design career pathways, implement joint certification with NSDC and OEMs, and gradually introduce new industry verticals.”
On the topic of international mobility, Tiwari stated that the organization is aiming to set up new international language labs and assessment centres to provide training in Russian, Italian, Korean, and French, equipping candidates with multilingual skills to boost their global employability.
He presented a strategic roadmap focusing on expanding global employment opportunities and skill development initiatives, mentioning, “Israel has requested 5,000 healthcare workers.”
Moreover, NSDC International is extending its advisory services across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Africa, ensuring effective implementation of workforce development programs in these areas.
Tiwari highlighted that youth in remote areas are skilling and upskilling themselves through the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH).
SIDH has significantly impacted by reaching 1.30 crore candidates, including 92 lakh short-term trained candidates, 86 lakh certified candidates, and 13 lakh apprentices. The platform offers more than 7,100 courses in 23 Indian languages, with over 10 lakh active users and around 42,000 skilling and training centres, reinforcing its role in convergence, integration, skilling ecosystem development, partnerships, recognition, and measurable outcomes.
The platform collaborates with 57 digital learning partners, providing 1,245 courses.
Tiwari also mentioned NSDC JobX, an advanced job platform that connects job seekers and employers by simplifying the hiring process and offering premium services like resume building, career coaching, and job alerts.
Technological advancements have been crucial, with over 0.3 million e-KYC completions and the creation of 2.8 million Aadhaar-based beneficiary IDs, improving digital tracking and transparency in skill development programs.
A total of 1.58 million apprentices, making up 45.5 percent of total engagement, come from socio-economic groups, ensuring inclusive growth. He emphasized that NSDC has successfully trained over 40.3 million candidates, with 9.4 million securing placements.
With a network of over 40,000 skilling centres, the programs have empowered 18.3 million women and supported 12.9 million candidates from socio-economically disadvantaged groups, along with over 250,000 individuals with special abilities. These initiatives span across 36 sector skill councils, covering more than 750 districts and engaging 200,000 employers.
