Andhra Pradesh and Microsoft Join Forces to Boost AI Skills
The Andhra Pradesh government has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Microsoft Corporation to promote skill development among the state’s youth in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and other advanced technologies.
Minister for IT, Electronics and Education N Lokesh Naidu announced the agreement, which was signed on Thursday at the state secretariat. This initiative falls under the Andhra Pradesh Skill Development Corporation.
The goal of this agreement is to cultivate core AI skills through vocational education for secondary school students and young adults. This is to create a workforce prepared for the IT sector and other industries in Andhra Pradesh. Key individuals present at the signing included Kona Sasidhar, Education Secretary; Ganesh Kumar, Managing Director of the Skill Development Corporation; Dinesh Kumar, Executive Director; Dinesh Kanakamedala, South Head of Microsoft for Government Business; and Sandeep Bandwedar, Microsoft India South-Asia Director.
Lokesh Naidu highlighted that Microsoft will offer skill development training to over two lakh youth within a year as part of the agreement. He emphasized that this training will help young people tap into global opportunities in AI and related technology domains, leading to better job prospects.
The program includes several training components:
- Microsoft will provide AI and cloud computing training to 500 teachers and 10,000 engineering students across 50 rural engineering colleges.
- Additionally, AI training in digital productivity will be given to 30,000 students from 30 Industrial Training Institutes.
- A further 40,000 youths will receive AI skills training to support the introduction of Passport to Earning 2.0, a digital platform designed to provide increased skilling paths and employment opportunities for young people.
- Another 20,000 youths will be trained in collaboration with the Union Labour and Employment Ministry.
Furthermore, the program includes a 100-hour AI training module for 50,000 individuals. This is to improve public services and build capacity amongst state government officials. The AP Skill Development Corporation will then implement a civil services capacity-building program.
In addition, 20,000 staff members will be offered AI upskilling and reskilling through self-learning paths, workshops, and webinars that encourage collaboration between departments. The AP Skill Development Corporation will be responsible for providing the necessary physical infrastructure for AI training, while Microsoft is set to work alongside the relevant departments to impart AI training. Microsoft will also furnish the training and certifications required to incorporate an AI curriculum within educational institutions.
