MSDE and MoE collaborate with IBM to equip digital skills training in India

The Union Minister of Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, presided over the signing 8 MoUs between the Ministry of Education and the Ministry Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and IBM on September 27, 2023. These Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) are centered on equipping digital skilling and skilling in emerging technologies.

Addressing the gathering, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan highlighted India’s substantial and youthful population, emphasizing the need to empower the youth with essential skills for success in the contemporary job market. He underscored that the collaboration represents a significant step towards realizing India’s ‘Skilled India’ vision and expanding digital skill training and expertise development in emerging technologies through the IBM SkillsBuild platform. He expressed confidence that these newly established partnerships will enable learners to fully leverage technology’s potential, transforming them into future creators of wealth and entrepreneurs in society.

Under the MoUs, curated courses will be offered to equip Indian youth with skills essential for the future. This partnership will concentrate on jointly developing educational content aimed at enhancing the skill sets of learners in areas spanning school education, higher education, and vocational training, with a specific focus on emerging technologies such as,

• AI (including generative AI)
• Cybersecurity
• Cloud computing
• Professional development skills

IBM’s collaboration with MoE and MSDE spans across three key education levels:

1. School Education: IBM will grant access to digital content from IBM SkillsBuild to high school students, teachers, and trainers in schools identified by organizations like Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS), National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), and Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS). This program will be offered through online resources, webinars, and in-person workshops conducted by IBM’s CSR implementation partners. Furthermore, IBM will update the Grades 11 and 12 AI curriculum under CBSE and develop cyber-skilling and blockchain curricula for high school students to be hosted on IBM SkillsBuild.

2. Higher Education: IBM, in collaboration with its CSR implementation partners, will closely collaborate with the Department of Higher Education, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT), National Institute of Technical Teachers’ Training and Research (NITTTR) in Chandigarh, and state skilling missions. This partnership aims to onboard students and faculty affiliated with these institutions onto IBM SkillsBuild. Participants will gain access to digital content and experiential learning opportunities and acquire fresh skills to prepare them for technical careers.

Also read: Shri Dharmendra Pradhan launched 3-Year Partnership with Meta: Empowering Education to Entrepreneurship

3. Vocational Skills: IBM will maintain its central partnership with MSDE and coordinate with the Directorate General of Training (DGT) and respective state vocational education and skilling departments. The objective is to onboard job seekers, including those unemployed for an extended period and school dropouts, onto IBM SkillsBuild. This initiative will empower them with the technical and professional skills necessary to re-enter the workforce.