Infosys Foundation and ICT Academy Collaborate to Enhance Rural Youth Employability

On July 3, 2024, Infosys Ltd announced via a stock exchange filing that its philanthropic and CSR arm, Infosys Foundation, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the ICT Academy of Tamil Nadu, a non-profit organisation. The collaboration aims to enhance the employability of young learners in rural India.

Under this partnership, the Infosys Foundation will establish ‘Centers of Excellence for Women and Youth Empowerment’ in more than 450 colleges across India. These centres will serve as hubs for skill development through both online and offline training, focusing on engineering, arts, and science courses in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. The curriculum includes 80 hours of core skills training, 20 hours of soft skills training, and support for job placements. Additional activities, such as youth empowerment summits and coding practice for practical challenges, will also be conducted.

Over the next three years, the initiative aims to train 48,000 students in IT, banking, financial services, insurance, retail, e-commerce, logistics, KPO, and soft skills. Infosys Foundation has committed a grant exceeding ₹33 crore to support this endeavour. Furthermore, the initiative will utilise Infosys Springboard, the company’s flagship digital learning platform, to enhance accessibility to learning and skill development opportunities for students.

The Trustee of Infosys Foundation, Sumit Virmani, said, “At Infosys Foundation, education is the cornerstone of our commitment to empowering the less fortunate. And education must create pathways to employability. Through our collaboration with the ICT Academy, we will equip young learners in rural India with essential technical and soft skills, consequently improving their industry readiness and employability in today’s dynamic talent landscape. We are confident that this initiative will encourage our youth to excel across disciplines of their choice and create sustainable careers.”

The Chief Executive Officer of ICT Academy, V Srikanth, said, “As the industry rapidly evolves, the demand for a workforce skilled in advanced IT, KPO, BFSI, Retail, e-commerce, and logistics has never been higher. According to a recent report, India’s IT industry alone is projected to generate over 2 million new jobs by 2027. This initiative by Infosys Foundation is not just about meeting the immediate needs of the job market; it’s about investing in the long-term career success of 48,000 students over the next three years. For graduating students, this translates to enhanced employability and greater career opportunities. We are proud to collaborate with Infosys Foundation and be able to work towards building a stronger, future-ready India.”

Disclaimer: This blog has been written exclusively for educational purposes. The securities mentioned are only examples and not recommendations. It is based on several secondary sources on the internet and is subject to changes. Please consult an expert before making related decisions.