New Delhi, September 2023.

With the on-going fourth industrial revolution, technology has become and will remain the core driver for employment across the world. As the world embraces newer technologies such as 5G, AI/ML, IoT, etc., a future-ready workforce has become a major focus area for all countries.

To address this need for a skilled workforce and to bridge the gap between industry needs and skill requirements, Vi  Foundation, the CSR arm of Vi, the leading telecom operator, in partnership with the Telecom Sector Skill Council (TSSC), set-up the IoT Centre of Excellence at the Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women (IGDTUW) in Delhi, in July this year. Today, Vi Foundation felicitated ~40 students from its first batch in the presence of Mr Deepender Kumar, Head, Vi Foundation; Dr. Amita Dev, Vice Chancellor of IGDTUW, Mr. Arvind Bali, CEO, Telecom Sector Skill Council (TSSC) and K K Dwivedi, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. For the upcoming second batch of the IoT Centre of Excellence, the course received an overwhelming response of more than 300 students wanting to register.

On this occasion, P Balaji, Director – Vi Foundation and Chief Regulatory & Corporate Affairs Officer, VIL, said, “The Government of India has clearly outlined a $1 trillion Digital contribution over the next few years. This fast-evolving landscape offers our youth enormous employment opportunities especially with the internet economy, digitization and emerging technologies such as IoT, creating innovation and opening new frontiers for their career paths. To cater to the digital needs of tomorrow, our youth should be future-ready to contribute to the economic growth of our country. We at Vi Foundation, strongly believe that through partnerships we can create an ecosystem for our youth to thrive. With the IoT Centre of Excellence, our aim is to skill the youth in new technologies to drive innovation and propel India's digital transformation.”

K K Dwivedi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said, "Our sincere thanks to the Vodafone Idea Foundation and the Telecom Sector Skill Council for their invaluable collaboration and establishing this IoT Center of Excellence at the Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women. This partnership-led model addresses the urgent need for skilled professionals in the ever-evolving telecom as well as technology sectors, particularly with the advent of new technologies such as 5G and IoT. This model will uplift and upskill students and prepare them for the digital needs of tomorrow. This collaborative development is a great example and should be replicated across various educational institutions nationwide. With India's global digital prominence and transformation with 5G, there will be a need to bridge the gap in the workforce, especially with new technological changes. This initiative will empower students with technological knowledge and provide them with various employment opportunities. We anticipate similar initiatives in diverse sectors, preparing our youth for the digital job market." 

Arvind Bali, CEO, Telecom Sector Skill Council, expressed his excitement and congratulated the first batch of students who successfully completed the online IoT course. He stated, “I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the first batch of students who have successfully completed the online IoT course. It fills me with immense pride to witness the overwhelming response from our youth who so proactively want to upskill themselves. Your enthusiasm for learning and embracing cutting-edge technology like IoT inspires us and is truly commendable.” Mr. Bali also acknowledged the crucial support from the Vi Foundation and Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women (IGDTUW), emphasizing their commitment to empowering the next generation of tech-savvy women leaders.

Amita Dev, Vice Chancellor, Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women (IGDTUW), Delhi, “I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Vi Foundation and the Telecom Sector Skill Council (TSSC) for their unwavering support. Partnerships like these are instrumental in enabling institutions like IGDTUW to offer cutting-edge education to aspiring women in STEM fields. The Vi Foundation and TSSC have been invaluable allies in our mission to promote women’s empowerment in STEM education.”

The CoEsupports upskilling of 300 female candidates who are being trained following a blended approach with online training (both instructor-led and self-paced content) and practical training in the University premises. It is specifically designed to cater to the growing IoT industry with 6 use-cases (IoT for Smart Lighting, IoT for Smart Environmental Weather Monitoring, IoT for Smart Agriculture, IoT for Smart water quality monitoring, IoT for Smart Health Monitoring, and IoT for Energy Monitoring.

Vodafone Idea Foundation remains committed in its objective to foster technological expertise among the youth and cultivate a skilled workforce poised to make significant contributions to nation-building.