Union Minister for Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Dharmendra Pradhan, inaugurated India’s inaugural Skill India Centre (SIC) in Sambalpur on Tuesday. This marks a significant step towards empowering the youth with industry-specific skills for the 21st-century job market.
In his address to the youth, Pradhan emphasized the critical need for a skilled workforce to drive India’s development journey forward. He highlighted the importance of providing access to quality education at an affordable cost to enable the youth to excel in the evolving job market.
“We aim to democratize access to quality education by offering low-cost courses at the Skill India Centre. This initiative will empower a large number of youth and equip them with the necessary skills to succeed in the job market,” Pradhan stated.
The Skill India Centre is tailored to provide training in high-demand sectors such as Media & Entertainment, Leather, Tourism & Hospitality, and IT-ITeS. This initiative, aimed at upgrading the skill sets of aspiring students, targets to empower over 1200 students through the centre.
Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), and Ved Mani Tiwari, CEO of NSDC and MD of NSDC International, also addressed the event. They highlighted the Centre’s role in creating a conducive learning environment through a mix of classroom and work-based learning.
Equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure and modern facilities, the SIC will drive demand for formal skills and enable youth to acquire industry-relevant skills. The collaborative efforts aim to harness the potential of the demographic dividend, fostering rural development, local entrepreneurship, and socio-economic growth.
The Centre will collaborate with industry experts to design curriculum aligned with industry needs, promoting standardization, and creating employment opportunities across sectors. This initiative offers a unique opportunity for youth to leverage modern technologies, gain hands-on learning experiences, and explore career paths with renowned organizations.
The comprehensive training programs at the Centre will cover a range of job roles including graphic designer, storyboard artist, and food and beverage services associate. In the initial phase, 240 youth will be skilled through this three-month-long skilling program.
To ensure effective implementation, the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) will appoint a Centre Manager responsible for monitoring training programs, ensuring quality standards, and overall functioning.
Following the inauguration in Sambalpur, upcoming Skill India Centres in Odisha are scheduled to be inaugurated in Angul, Bhadrak, Dhenkanal, Talcher, and Deogarh. Each Centre aims to address specific skill needs of high economic growth sectors, paving the way for regional development and sustainable employment opportunities.
