NSDC, Microsoft join hands to provide digital skills to over one lakh youth

The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Microsoft on Wednesday announced a strategic partnership aimed at providing digital skills to more than one lakh youth in the country over the next one year.

"Microsoft will collaborate with NSDC's eSkill India portal to provide free access to learning resources and conduct digital skilling awareness drives, equipping the next generation of learners with the skills they need to thrive in a digital economy," a release said.

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Under the partnership, Microsoft's learning resource centre, Microsoft Learn, will be integrated with eSkill India digital platform to provide access to personalised learning paths and resources that are in-demand in today's economy and are well-positioned to continue to grow in the future.

"These learning paths will cover a broad range of skills, from entry-level digital literacy to advanced product-based skilling in critical technologies like AI and cloud computing, providing numerous opportunities for people to reskill and upskill, placing roles that are in-demand within reach of job seekers," the release said.

The partnership with NSDC is an extension of Microsoft's global skilling initiative to help 25 million people worldwide acquire new digital skills needed for the COVID-19 economy.

"The digital transformation of India is driving demand for tech-enabled jobs across every industry and with it the need for digital skills. We are deeply invested in creating a digital skills ecosystem that prepares India's workforce for jobs of the future," Microsoft India President Anant Maheshwari said.

"Our partnership with NSDC is a strong step in that direction, equipping learners with easily accessible tools and resources needed to succeed in a digital economy," he added.

NSDC MD and CEO Manish Kumar said the collaboration aims at accelerating online learning for enhancing employability of the young workforce in a rapidly evolving digital environment.

In another initiative, M12, the venture capital arm of the software giant Microsoft, opened its India office in Bengaluru to focus on investment opportunities in B2B startup space.

Formerly known as Microsoft Ventures, M12 has been remotely in India since 2019 with investment in startups such as Innovaccer and FarEye, and is now looking at segments such as applied AI, business applications, infrastructure, security, and vanguard technologies, stated a press release.

(Disclaimer: Additional background information has been added to this PTI copy for context)