DGT under MSDE ties up with Cisco, Accenture and Quest Alliance to make Indian youth digital savvy.

Director General of Training (DGT), as part of its continuous efforts to modernise and upgrade the industrial training institutes (ITIs) of the country, has entered into yet another partnership. Under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), it has tied up with Cisco and Accenture to skill Indian youth for the digital economy, through its ITIs. With the help of Quest Alliance, the implementation partner, this programme will attempt to skill ITI students over the next two years.

An MoU was signed to this effect, and in keeping with the same, a comprehensive future-ready employability skilling programme will soon be rolled out for the enrolled ITI students.

The programme will include customised curriculum organised into modules that will ensure digital literacy, career readiness, employability skills and advanced technology skills, including data analytics. It will be a mix of online self-learning /digital learning modules with the help of the Bharat Skills portal—which will be accessible to more than 1.5 lakh students— and in-classroom modules.

In the first phase of the programme, 227 ITIs in Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Bihar and Assam, will be starting with the modules, for over a lakh students.

Through the in-classroom programme, which offers train the trainer resources as well, over 240 hours of training will be imparted on new-age skills, such as digital literacy and digital fluency. Lessons will also be given on workplace readiness skills including creative problem solving and use of data in decision making. The curriculum also covers career management skills including the cultivation of a growth mindset and the ability to identify and plan careers. The online module will be accessible on mobile phones as well, to facilitate self-learning while on the go.

Cisco will provide the ITI students with direct access to Networking Academy courses across India.

Over the past year, DGT, in association with IBM, Adobe India, Microsoft & SAP, has attempted to bring about a digital revolution in the Indian vocational training system space.

As part of its endeavours, Bharat Skills (https://bharatskills.gov.in), which is a seamless platform that aids self-learning for ITI students and teachers, was launched earlier this year. It is a central data bank of trade-relevant study materials, video tutorials, question banks and mock tests. It facilitates learning at all times and from any location. The programme will not only make the youth more employable but also make them digitally savvy.