Panaji, August 11, 2020.

In its commitment towards Skill India Mission and aligning with Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), operating under the aegis of Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Directorate of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (DSDE), Government of Goa to set up an International SkillHub in the state.

A significant step towards strengthening the skilling ecosystem in the country, the collaboration will facilitate the establishment of a state-of-the-art skilling infrastructure in Goa. An apex institution, it is envisaged to empower youth of Goa to be ready for the emerging job opportunities in the country.  The institute also aims to provide international placements to local candidates through programs like NSDC’s programs such as Technical Intern Training Program (TITP) and India International Skill Centres (IISC), contributing towards making Goa an international skilling destination in India.

The announcement was made through a webcast, which was graced by the presence ofDr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Hon’ble Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Shri Vishwajit P. Rane, Hon’ble Minister of Health, Industries & Trade, Women & Child Development and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Government of Goa. Other eminent dignitaries were Shri Praveen Kumar, Secretary, MSDE; Shri C R Garg, Secretary, Department of Art & Culture, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Archaeology, Archives, Cooperation, Law & Judiciary and Legislative Affairs, Govt. of Goa; Dr. Manish Kumar, MD & CEO, NSDC; Shri Dipak Desai, Director, Directorate of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Govt. of Goa; Dr. Naresh Trehan, Chairperson, Medanta The Medicity and Healthcare Sector Skill Council; Ms. Jyoti Mayal, Chairperson, Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council among others.

Under the terms of the agreement, the Government of Goa will provide land for establishing an international skillhub. NSDCand DSDE will be responsible jointly for short listing job roles, identifying training partners (TPs) to operationalize skill training at the institution, monitoring and facilitating the skilling program. Leveraging industrial ecosystem to drive skilling in India, DSDE and NSDC aim to bring best-in-class infrastructure and facilities to students at Old Asilo Hospital,in Mapusa, North Goa. The skill development project will be implemented as per the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF), and assessments and certifications granted by the respective Sector Skill Councils (SSCs).  

Sharing his views on role of reskilling, upskilling and building of newage skills in making India truly self-reliant, Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Hon’ble Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said, “As we enter a new transformational era, we need to stand united in our mission to boost skilling efforts across the country to create a highly productive and efficient workforce for the future of jobs. It is crucial to enhance our focus on reskilling, upskilling and deep skilling as part of our country’s revival strategy.  Today’s MoU signing between NSDC and DSDE, Goa is a pioneering step towards achieving that mission. Skilling the youth in market relevant skills will significantly contribute towards fulfilling Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of Aatmnirbhar Bharat and help India make a mark on the global landscape. Our objective is to work collaboratively with states to implement efficient training, assessment and certification process for creation of a conducive and buoyant skilling ecosystem in the country.”

The institute will provide training in advanced skills in highly specialized areas across sectors like Healthcare, Tourism and Hospitality and other emerging business domains to meet the requisite industry demands. Envisaged to be a highly premier training institutions in the country, it shall help in making vocational training aspirational for the youth.  Skilling will be done by training partners (TPs) on a fee-based model and additionally, training shall be imparted through the utilization of government schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY). Through joint deliberations, DSDE and NSDC will select training partners for imparting training, from a pool of NSDC affiliated partners.  The selected TPs will be responsible for executing specific project activities including mobilization, branding, publicity, counselling, imparting training, certification, and placement assistance.

Commenting on the collaboration, Shri Vishwajit P. Rane, Hon’ble Minister of Public Health, Industries & Trade, Women & Child Development and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Government of Goa, expressed “Goa has been a significant contributor to India’s GDP and a key enabler of the incredible growth of Indian tourism and hospitality sector over the past decades. We are pleased to join hands with NSDC to set up the International Skill Development Institutethat has been envisaged to give a new impetus to the state’s skilling ecosystem by training youth according to evolving technologies and market trends. NSDC’s expertise in driving demand-driven skill training will exponentially improve the pace of skill development in Goa especially in the healthcare sector. We are certain that the institute will help the youth of Goa transform from being job seekers to job creators and accelerate the state’s growth rapidly. We are thankful to the Hon’ble Chief Minister for his guidance and support in implementing this project.”

The coalition of NSDC and DSDE started in September 2017, and together have been driving various skilling and apprenticeship initiatives across the state.  In parallel, NSDC has undertaken several initiatives in bringing other projects under NSQF recognition in Goa. One of the very ambitious projects was alignment of QP, curriculum and content for National Disaster Cadet Corps of Government of Goa, under the Department of Fire. Under NSDC’s Market Led Program, over 15,000 candidates have undergone training through 116 NSDC-affiliated training centres and 12 training partners.  Under PMKVY, 17 training centres were operational, and 1500 candidates have undergone training.