UPSDM, IIA join hands to boost skills and jobs

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Skill Development Mission (UPSDM) joined hands with the Indian Industries Association (IIA) to strengthen industry-institute linkages, expand apprenticeship and placement opportunities, provide industry exposure, and enhance the employability of youth in the state.According to the agreement, trainees with UPSDM will have the opportunity to undertake real industry-related work under the supervision and guidance of industry experts. Accordingly, the regional chapter heads of IIA will be linked with the district programme management units (DPMUs) to facilitate a better understanding of local industry requirements and help develop effective strategies for training, apprenticeships and placements.Principal secretary, vocational education and skill development, Hari Om said the collaboration will result in making the skill development programmes responsive to the changing needs of the industry. “The initiative will align the training ecosystem more closely with the actual requirements of industry and provide youth with practical and employment-oriented training,” he said.UPSDM mission director Pulkit Khare said to make training more practical and industry-oriented, participating industries will provide the required raw materials to UPSDM training centres. Trainees will have the opportunity to undertake real industry-related work under the supervision and guidance of industry experts.“This will enable them to gain first-hand experience in workplace practices, industrial processes and the working environment during their training,” he said.Entrepreneurs and technical experts associated with IIA will also deliver guest lectures, mentorship sessions and technical guidance at UPSDM training centres. Special emphasis will be placed on soft skills, workplace behaviour and awareness of emerging technological trends. Feedback from industry will be incorporated to continuously improve the quality and relevance of training programmes.Officials said the IIA online portal, iiaonline.in, will be utilised to facilitate employment opportunities for UPSDM trainees. In addition, regular job fairs, apprenticeship melas, industrial visits and industry exposure programmes will be organised to facilitate direct interaction between trainees and industry.The initiative will be launched in the first phase across eight locations-Lucknow, Barabanki, Muzaffarnagar, Moradabad, Amethi, Varanasi, the NCR region and Bareilly. Based on the outcomes and successful implementation of the initiative, the model is proposed to be expanded to all 75 districts.