2.5 million learners across the skills ecosystem can be job ready
by accessing the digital lessons.
New Delhi, The Union Minister of Education and Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Shri. Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday unveiled the digital version of the Employability Skills curriculum for students enrolled in India's industrial training institutes (ITIs) at the Future Skills Forum in New Delhi.
The Future Skills Forum - is an initiative of the Future Right Skills Network (FRSN) a collaborative effort by QUEST Alliance, Accenture, Cisco, and J.P. Morgan. It brings together government skills training institutions, civil society organisations, industry and corporate social responsibility partners to help young people acquire critical skills for the future.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Pradhan spoke about the transformative power of skilling in boosting employability, shaping India's future and preparing a 21st century workforce. He said that the next quarter of the century when India will be completing its 100 years of independence, India will be the largest economy. From digital payments to vaccinations, we are already ahead in embracing technology in all walks of life and making best-in-class products & services. In this era of technology where nature of workplace is changing rapidly and where new disruptive technologies is no more limited to a small elite, skill development will be the key to unlocking the true potential of our demography, he added.
He expressed his happiness that industry leaders have come together to strengthen the skilling ecosystem as well as to think on ways to leverage new technologies, like AI, IOT for creating future-ready workforce and for larger benefit of society. As outlined by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India's capacity will also benefit the globe. National Education Policy (NEP) has created opportunities for learning while earning, he added.
The digital lessons include modules on financial and digital literacy, diversity and inclusion, career development, goal setting and entrepreneurship. These are drawn from the upgraded ES curriculum which was launched by the MSDE in September 2022.
Aimed at fulfilling the need for anytime, anywhere learning, these modules will be accessible to 2.5 million learners through the Government of India's Bharat Skills Portal as well as other platforms. Developed with active industry contribution, the curriculum includes 12 modules in a bite-sized, gamified format and each lesson is followed by assessments that is designed to help learners assess the depth of their learning. The storytelling approach followed in the modules provides learners with relatable scenarios that they can apply to real-world situations. The constructive feedback system ensures that learners receive feedback that is specific, timely, actionable thus enabling improved learning outcomes.
Highlighting how the digital lessons will be useful for learners, Aakash Sethi, CEO of Quest Alliance said, "We have seen that youth gravitate towards technology that provides them the space to learn and relearn skills that they will need for the future workplace. It is therefore imperative that any stakeholder working with youth livelihoods understand this changing landscape."
The digital lessons will be instrumental in introducing innovative pedagogical models like blended learning in Industrial Training Institutes (ITI), which will empower educators to create and lead 21st century classrooms.
Explaining the need for employability skills, Maneesha Chadha, Head of Philanthropy for Asia Pacific, J.P. Morgan said, "We are very pleased to be working on this advanced skilling program in support of workforce readiness in India. We believe it is important to adopt new teaching strategies and tools into the classroom to ensure that employability skills are effectively imparted in our technical training and educational institutions. Skills such as communication, teamwork, self-learning, critical thinking and problem-solving will help millions of disadvantaged youth transition into the world of work with confidence."
About the Future Right Skills Network
The Future Right Skills Network is a collaborative effort by Accenture, Cisco and JP Morgan facilitated by Quest Alliance with an overarching mission to make India's youth future-ready. The network is supported by civil society organizations and state governments in partnership with the Directorate General of Training (DGT) under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. The Future Right Skills Network is on a mission to empower young people in technical and vocational training institutes with employability skills for the knowledge economy.
About Quest Alliance:
Quest Alliance is a not-for-profit trust that equips young people with 21st century skills by enabling self-learning. We design scalable solutions that enable educators to address critical gaps for quality education and skills training. We facilitate learning networks and collaboration to bring about systemic change fuelled by research and innovation. (https://www.questalliance.net/)
For more information, contact:
Sanjeev Mehra, Tarmac Affairs, 9990989922
Tanu Kulkarni, Communications Specialist, Quest Alliance: 9986236298
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