VIJAYAWADA: IT Minister Nara Lokesh emphasised that the skill census must benefit unemployed youth, with the ultimate aim of job creation.
Reviewing the skill census and skill development department at his residence in Undavalli on Wednesday, Lokesh urged officials to expedite the pre-assessment process, stating that conducting the census without it would be futile.
He recommended integrating youth and student qualification certificates with the census to enhance employment opportunities. Officials informed the minister that Infosys has agreed to conduct the basic assessment, and individuals unavailable during the enumeration can opt for self-enumeration via an app.
Lokesh directed officials to analyse the census data promptly once completed by J Paul Company, highlighting the importance of sharing detailed information with industries and organisations to facilitate recruitment. He also suggested linking the census data to platforms like LinkedIn, Naukri.com, and JobX, while integrating data from PF, ESI, and GST for better accuracy.
Officials reported that IBM and Microsoft have agreed to provide training through Centres of Excellence at various universities under a train-and-hire model. Lokesh proposed establishing a Centre of Excellence in Amaravati through the National Academy of Construction (NACC) to train construction workers, with discussions ongoing with L&T regarding construction sector training.
The minister stressed the need to train youth in high-demand courses abroad via Oncap and suggested preparing nursing students in government colleges for overseas roles, particularly in Germany, where the demand for nurses is high.
Lokesh also called for urgent steps to establish a skill university in Amaravati in alignment with government policy.
Principal Secretary (Skill Development) S Suresh Kumar, Skill Development Corporation MD G Ganesh Kumar, Executive Directors, Assistant Manager, and others were present.