Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the AP State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) continued its skilling programmes in the virtual mode and signed MoUs with 13 major industries to create a skill development ecosystem in 2020.
“Even in these challenging conditions, the Skill Development Corporation skilled nearly 1.5 lakh aspirants remotely,” said the corporation’s Managing Director and CEO Arja Srikant.
Agriculture and health
He said training was imparted to a total of 5,310 farmers and unemployed youth on latest techniques related to agriculture and allied sectors in 2020. In the coming year, the department had set a target to skill 10,000 people.
To cater to the health and medical needs arising out of the spread of the pandemic, the corporation, in collaboration with the Health Department, imparted pandemic management skills to 3,300 nurses, and the number of trainees in the new year would increase to 5,000.
Industry connect
Courses in networking, MS Office and fundamental computer courses were offered to the tribal youth to help them improve their employability, while women from the rural areas were trained in digital literacy in collaboration with Facebook (Digital Beti and GOAL), One Stroke painting etc.
Skill Connect drives had connected the employers with job-seekers, paving the way for placements while industry-customised skill training helped 602 candidates find placements in 23 companies.
Mr. Srikant said a strong industry connect channel had been created through various initiatives and significant tie-ups included, among others, Dalmia Bharat Foundation, Schneider Electric, Biocon Academy, Tech Mahindra Foundation, National Research Development Corporation, NSE Academy, Dell Technologies, JBM Auto Limited, CII Institute of Logistics, IBM India Pvt. Ltd, LV Prasad Film and TV Academy, India Tourism Development Corporation, and Singapore Polytechnic International.
For artisans
Bringing in sponsors and investors to contribute to skill colleges, the department also focussed on entrepreneurship development programmes to give priority to local produce and livelihood for poor artisans and handicraft labour.
It established a dedicated channel to encourage the backward and forward linkages and tied up with Flipkart and TVG Group, enabling the local artisans to sell their products through e-commerce platforms.
In the academic arena, the Skill Development Corporation designed online engineering courses, besides equipping the faculty with online technologies through faculty development programmes.
Referring to the proposed 30 Skill Colleges and a Skill University, Mr. Srikant said the corporation was involved in land identification, courses and curriculum development. “The aim is to build a strong skill ecosystem in the State,” said Mr. Srikant.
