National skill and education summit in Lucknow focuses on preparing youth for global jobs

Lucknow witnessed the organization of the National Skill and Education Summit on March 12, aimed at preparing young people in Uttar Pradesh for global employment opportunities. The event brought together representatives from government bodies, industry, banking, educational institutions, and skill development sectors to explore strategies for aligning workforce skills with future industrial needs.

The summit was organized by the Uttar Pradesh Skill Development Mission. Chief Guest Awanish Awasthi, Chief Minister’s Advisor, emphasized the importance of equipping youth with modern, employment-oriented skills. He highlighted the need for strong monitoring systems to ensure quality and transparency in skill development centers. To achieve this, he suggested forming committees in each division consisting of retired officers, industry experts, and banking representatives to inspect and evaluate training centers.

Awasthi also noted that during visits to countries like Singapore and Japan, the Chief Minister had showcased the state’s youth potential and skill development initiatives on international platforms. He recommended that comprehensive details of all skill centers including courses, enrollment, certificates, and employment outcomes be made available online for public access.

Principal Secretary Dr. Hari Om stressed that linking education with skill development is crucial. He highlighted that simply imparting knowledge is insufficient; young people must also develop practical abilities to apply their learning effectively.

Pulkit Khare, Director of the 'Rajya Kaushal Mission,' shared that youth aged 14 to 35 are being trained under programs such as the 'Rajya Kaushal Yojana,' 'Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gramin Kaushal Yojana,' and 'Project Praveen.' He mentioned the introduction of a grading system for training partners and a digital learning portal offering free courses and certificates. Currently, training facilities cover over 30 sectors and approximately 500 job roles.

Participants from industry, education, and banking sectors highlighted the importance of increased collaboration in skill development, employment generation, and innovation. A new edition of the Digital Learning magazine was also released during the event, aiming to further support youth engagement and awareness in skill-building opportunities.