Country’s First Skill India International Centre Launched in Bhubaneswar

BHUBANESWAR: Union skill development and entrepreneurship minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday launched the country’s first Skill India International Centre here. The centre will train Indian youth as per international standards with an aim to enhance overseas opportunities for the skilled workforce as per demand of international employers in countries such as Canada, Australia and the Gulf region.
The centre is set up in collaboration between the Skill Development Institute (SDI), Bhubaneswar and NSDC International (NSDCI), a subsidiary of the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) under the Union ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship.
This centre will provide high-quality training to Indian youth, especially the aspirants from Odisha, aiming to work overseas. It will host training facilities to provide skills according to the demand of international employers. This centre will also have a wide network of partnering organisations and overseas recruiters to facilitate supply of skilled and certified workforce in other countries, said the official sources.
These partnering organisations will work with NSDC and SDI for aggregating demand from 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,” said an official statement from the ministry.

The NSDCI signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Odisha Skill Development Authority (OSDA) on Saturday to promote international workforce mobility for skilled and certified workers from Odisha to other countries. While the NSDCI will help in aggregating demand from different countries, the OSDA will support in awareness, training and funding of the candidates who aspire to work overseas.
The Union minister also launched a World Skills Academy and a National Academy for Skill Teachers (NAST) at the SDI campus here. NAST will provide skill training to teachers and assessors in alignment with emerging needs of the industry. These three new world-class facilities will enhance quality of skill training according to the international standard.
“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,” said, adding, “Initiatives launched today will not just open up overseas job opportunities for our youth, it will also go a long way in creating a world-class workforce equipped with the right skills to overcome global challenges and drive the future of work.”
A memorandum of understanding was exchanged between Ved Mani Tiwari, director, NSDCI, and Tariq Chauhan, chairman, EFS Facilities Group, to explore collaboratively, possibilities of establishing skilling and training hubs across India and globally for promoting mobility of trained, skilled and certified Indian workforce overseas. The representatives of various UAE companies were present at the event.
There are several skill development institutes and industrial training centres there, but this centre is different from others because it will provide training and other skills to get placement outside the country. ITIs across Odisha come under the state government and many students from these ITIs get jobs in foreign countries.

Source: ToI