VIJAYAWADA: The State government, under the leadership of IT and HRD Minister N Lokesh, is making significant strides in addressing unemployment and skill gaps through a series of innovative programmes aimed at creating 20 lakh jobs.
A cornerstone of these efforts is the ‘Skill Censes’, piloted in the Mangalagiri constituency, which collected data from 2.77 lakh individuals across 1.12 lakh households in Thullur mandal. Buoyed by the pilot project’s success, the programme is set for statewide implementation.
To enhance self-employment and international job opportunities, the government has signed MoUs with Centurion University and 2Coms Organisation, focusing on vocational training in areas such as garment manufacturing, drone technology, and smart farming. Through SEEDAP, candidates are also being trained for overseas placements in sectors like nursing and construction.
Advanced skill development has been prioritised through partnerships with Dassault Systémes, Salesforce, IBM, and Oracle. Over 2,500 engineering students have received training in aerospace and automotive fields, while nearly 28,000 degree students have been equipped with technical and soft skills. Under the PM Vishwakarma Scheme, 35,489 artisans have upgraded their traditional manufacturing skills, and 7,141 individuals have been trained across 200 skill hubs statewide. The government has also established 26 skill colleges, one in each Lok Sabha constituency, and organised job fairs across all Assembly constituencies, benefiting nearly 28,000 individuals.
Lokesh has outlined a six-month roadmap, including training 20,000 candidates at skill hubs, 2,000 at skill colleges, and 2,500 at NAC centres. International opportunities are being pursued through the Skill International Programme, supported by Indo-Euro Synchronisation.
Plans to modernise labs in polytechnic and ITI colleges further emphasise the government’s commitment to a robust skill development ecosystem.