BHUBANESWAR: Union skill development and entrepreneurship minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday launched the country’s first Skill India International Centre here. It will impart international-standard training to youngsters with an aim to make them employable for countries such as Canada, Australia and the Gulf region, where there is a huge demand for skilled workforce.
The centre has been set up in collaboration with the Skill Development Institute (SDI), Bhubaneswar, and the NSDC International (NSDCI), a subsidiary of the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) under the Union ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship.
“It will provide high-quality training to Indian youth, especially the aspirants from Odisha, wanting to work overseas. It will also have a wide network of partnering organisations and overseas recruiters to facilitate the supply of skilled and certified workforce to other countries,” officials said.
The partnering organisations will work with the NSDC and the SDI for aggregating demand from the overseas markets. This centre will have services such as mobilisation, counselling, skill training, pre-departure orientation, foreign language training, placement and immigration and post-placement support, read an official statement from the ministry.
The Union minister also launched a World Skills Academy and a National Academy for Skill Teachers (NAST) at the SDI campus here. The NAST will provide skill training to teachers and assessors in alignment with the emerging needs of the industry. “Bridging the gap between overseas employers and skilled Indian youth, Skill India International Centre is a pivotal step towards accelerating international workforce mobility from Odisha,” Pradhan said.
