upGrad and MSDE trains India’s youth from non-traditional background in AI & Data Science, The initiative has been carried out through the skilling giant’s not-for-profit arm upGrad Foundation

Mumbai, 10 July 2023 (GNI): upGrad Foundation, the not-for-profit and philanthropic arm of Asia’s largest integrated learning, skilling, and workforce development company upGrad has recently concluded a 3-city ‘Future Skills Bootcamp on Data Science and Soft Skills’ with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE). 

With a mission to equip India’s youth with essential skills in emerging technologies, each bootcamp was a week-long “train the trainer” program to support the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Science from the ground up. 113 trainees were enrolled across National Skill Training Institute (NSTI) centers in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Mumbai. The program covered concepts in Data Science, including Machine Learning, AI applications, and Data visualization, along with contemporary soft skills for effective delivery.

This industry-linked initiative was aligned with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s Skill India Mission emphasizing practical, hands-on skilling. It was inaugurated in January this year at the NSTI Bengaluru (W), followed by the second edition in June at the NSTI Ramanthapur, Hyderabad. The latest edition was also inaugurated in the same month at the Chunabhatti campus of NSTI Mumbai by Joint Director, Shri Ketan Patel and Deputy Director, Dr Naresh Kumar Chavan, along with faculty from the uGDX School of Technology at ATLAS SkillTech University and other dignitaries. The initiative exemplifies the strong collaboration between government, industry and academia, and addresses the growing need for upskilling and enabling learners, especially the less privileged, to access opportunities in India’s fast-paced job market. It propels skill adoption by trainers who further train others, thus accelerating a multiplier effect. 

“This course is designed to meet the needs of a growing market and the participants are excited and eager to improve their skills in this emerging field. The experienced faculty from upGrad are leading interactive sessions to actively engage the trainees,” commented Shri C.S. Murthy, Regional Director, Maharashtra, MSDE.

“There’s a massive socio-economic disparity in access to high-quality education within our communities. Our country’s most aspirational youth, most often face significant challenges in accessing education and employment opportunities. And as emerging fields like AI and Data Science continue to transform industries and create new job markets, it becomes crucial that we bridge this knowledge gap,” said Pramath Raj Sinha, who has joined One upGrad and is shaping up the agenda at upGrad Foundation. “It was carefully designed to build an equipped Bharat that is equally ready & capable for the global jobs of tomorrow,” Sinha added.

The bootcamps yielded impressive outcomes and received encouraging feedback from trainees.  “We have gained knowledge of data science, Python, machine learning, and deep learning, which is very useful for us. Sessions were designed in a way that we could clear each and every doubt with trainers,” concluded a trainee Urmila who attended the Bootcamp at NSTI Bengaluru. upGrad Foundation is set to scale up its initiatives in training craft instructors at NSTI centers across the country. Through relentless efforts to accelerate the adoption of AI and Data Science, the Foundation will continue to empower India with modern-day skill competencies.ends GNI