UK skills providers sign up to offer services to fill India’s skills gap

INVC,,

Delhi,,

India’s economic story is gripping; its political influence, growing. The role of India’s rising young workforce is crucial in fuelling this growth. But this ‘demographic dividend’ (the population over 64 versus the age of the population under 25 expressed as percentage) cannot come from the numbers alone; India will also require its young population to have the skills that increase productivity and output. Currently, only 5 per cent of Indians aged 19-24 formally learn a trade. However, the necessity to improve vocational education and training to reap the demographic dividend of a young population is recognised at the highest levels of government, the business community and civil society. India is exploring ways to train 500 million people by 2020; both in blue collar and white collar jobs, across urban and rural India.

To help India achieve this target, the UK India Business Council signed an MoU with Centum Learning Limited, a Bharti Associate company, during Minister of State for Universities and Science, David Willetts’ visit on 12th November 2010. The objective is to deliver aspects of Centum Learning’s Joint Venture with the National Skills Development Corporation (NSDC). The initiative seeks to train over 12 million individuals over a 10 year period, in 383 districts of India. It is estimated that the project will require 3500 skill instructors, with 200,000 to be trained in the above mentioned sectors.

Minister Willetts said, “The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding is a significant step towards creating the highly skilled workforce that India requires to match its fast economic growth. In order for India to meet its ambition for 500 million trained people across the country, it’s important that partnerships are formed to ensure that training and skills are delivered in the most effective and informed way. I wish the UK India Business Council and Centum Learning Limited the best of luck in driving the country’s skills agenda forward.”

The UKIBC formed the UK India Skills Forum (UKSIF), as a collective umbrella for the UK skills and vocational training providers of all types from basic “blue-collar” trainers to higher end skills providers such as engineering etc.

UKIBC CEO Richard Heald said, “The UKISF is a one stop shop for UK skills providers. It has pioneered a consortia-based approach to the Indian market. In this way, we are able to mobilize an entity which can meet the requirements of large scale skills projects which are necessary if India is to achieve its goal of training 500 million people by 2020. The UK has an internationally recognised competitive advantage in skills provision. The shared history, language and culture between the two countries should mean that the UK is regarded as the partner of choice to drive forward the skills agenda in India. It will not only help India in increasing its productivity but will help address the social, economic disparity in terms of region, gender, etc.”

Centum Learning CEO & Executive Director, Sanjeev Duggal, said, “Centum Learning, a Bharti associate company, is committed to bring to India: global standards in content, skill certification standards & internationally certified skilled instructors and this initiative is one step in that direction”. UKISF will assist Centum Learning with appropriate introduction to UK businesses that are part of its member base and may be relevant to the setting up of such Institute.