NEW DELHI: Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal on Tuesday said community colleges could play a significant role in addressing the shortage of skilled workforce.
The Wadhwani Foundation (WF) and the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (VFCCE), US, have signed an MoU in the presence of Sibal and US Senator Mark Warner, who is on a visit to visiting India.
Sibal said there was a greater scope for collaboration in the field of skill development for both India and the US.
He said: “The US has a skilled force but jobs are diminishing. We, in India, have job opportunities but no skilled workforce.
So in this sector, there is a huge opportunity for collaboration and community colleges will work like centres of skill development. Similarly, community colleges can play a big role in increasing the gross enrolment ratio (GER) in the country.”
Senator Mark Warner said: “Virginia’s two-year community colleges play a vital and unique role in our workforce training efforts. This partnership agreement will allow Virginia’s community colleges to share their expertise and materials as we work with the Wadhwani Foundation to expand skills-based job training for India’s young people.”
As part of the MoU, the VFCCE and the WF will together identify high-impact skill development programmes in India that need such support.
These partnerships could be forged with the Government or private initiatives and would involve vibrant exchange of ideas and technology transfer.