VIJAYAWADA: The State government has entered into a key agreement with globally renowned Microsoft for skill development among youth in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and advanced technologies.
Representatives of Microsoft and officials of the AP State Skill Development Corporation signed an MoU in the presence of HRD, IT and Electronics Minister Nara Lokesh at the Secretariat on Thursday.
The major objective of this agreement is to develop basic skills in AI and advanced technologies for students pursuing vocational education, and for secondary school children and the youth to produce skilled personnel required for IT-based and other industries in the State.
Lokesh said that as per this agreement, Microsoft will impart skill development training to over two lakh youths in just one year. The Microsoft training will help the youth grab the opportunities emerging globally in AI and advanced technology, and get jobs, he said.
AI curriculum in educational institutions soon: Lokesh
Microsoft will impart training in AI and cloud computing to 500 teachers and 10,000 engineering students from 50 rural engineering colleges in the State. Over 30,000 students from 30 ITIs will be given AI training in digital productivity. This apart, training will be given in AI skills for 40,000 youth for introduction of passport to earning 2.0 in association with UNICEF while another 20,000 will be trained with the cooperation of the Union Labour and Employment Ministry.
About 100 hours of AI training will be given to 50,000 persons to improve the public services and for capacity building among government officials. Following this, the APSSDC will implement the civil services capacity building programme. AI upskilling and reskilling will be provided to 20,000 staff members through self-learning paths, workshops and webinars on cross-departmental collaboration.
APSSDC will provide the necessary physical infrastructure for AI training in the respective areas. Microsoft also will closely coordinate with the respective departments for imparting AI training. Microsoft will also provide necessary training and certification to introduce AI curriculum in educational institutions, Lokesh observed.
Secretary (Education) Kona Sasidhar, APSSDC MD Ganesh Kumar, South Head of Microsoft for Government Business Dinesh Kanakamedala, Microsoft India South-Asia Director Sandeep Bandwedar, and others were present.