Nasscom launches skill development platform, signs MoU with MeitY

Nasscom on Monday launched a platform for skill development in eight varied technologies, starting with artificial intelligence (AI), for creating skills for future jobs in the country. The platform — FutureSkills — was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi via video conference during the inaugural session of the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT)-2018. Besides AI, the other technologies in focus will be virtual reality, robotic process automation, internet of things, big data analytics, 3D printing, cloud computing, social and mobile. Nasscom also signed an MoU with the Union ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) to collaboratively foster, cultivate and strengthen reskilling initiatives. As a part of the MoU, Nasscom and MeitY will work together to enable skill development and continuous learning not only for individuals in the IT-ITeS industry and its aspirants, but also employees belonging to other sectors.

“We aim to skill and up-skill about two million technology professionals and skill another two million potential employees and students over the next few years,” Nasscom president R Chandrashekhar said. According to Ravi Shankar Prasad, minister of law & justice, electronics and IT, digital empowerment can only happen if there is digital inclusion. With the advent of new technologies like AI, blockchain and IoT, reskilling of young professionals is critical, he said. “Nasscom has come up with this unique platform for skilling and reskilling young people where my department and team will provide lot of support and assistance. This is the single-largest industry-led initiative to cash in on the opportunity for 55 new job types,” he said.

While the MoU focuses on reskilling by supporting the industry and other stakeholders, FutureSkills aims to charter the road map for sustained growth in various fields starting with three distinct job roles for AI, Chandrashekhar said. Nasscom has conducted a comprehensive study with the Boston Consulting Group to identify eight technologies, poised to grow tremendously, both nationally and globally, in the coming decade, along with associated 55 job roles and corresponding skills required for those technologies. The FutureSkills platform will enable discovery, continuous learning and a marketplace of best-in-class training providers/ virtual labs and certifications for each of these job roles and skills, with customised pathways for learning.