Skill Census to provide jobs to youth: Lokesh

VIJAYAWADA: IT minister Nara Lokesh emphasised the need to integrate pre-assessment with skill census data to enhance employment opportunities for unemployed youth. Speaking at a review meeting on Skill Census and Skill Development in Undavalli on Wednesday, Lokesh highlighted that the primary goal of the Skill Census is to connect unemployed youth with job opportunities.

Lokesh noted that without proper assessments, the census alone would be ineffective. He urged officials to complete pre-assessments swiftly alongside the census to ensure that youth and students' qualifications are accurately documented, improving their job prospects. Officials revealed that Infosys has agreed to assist with basic assessments for the initiative. Additionally, individuals unavailable during enumeration will have the option to self-enroll via an app.

The minister called for prompt analysis of the census data through a data analytics firm once the process is completed. He explained that this data could then be shared with industries and organizations to facilitate recruitment. Lokesh also recommended engaging with companies investing in the state to gather insights into their workforce requirements and providing them with data on qualified candidates.

He further suggested linking the census data with job portals like LinkedIn, Naukri.com, and JobX to create additional employment opportunities. Integrating data from government departments like PF, ESI, and GST was also proposed to ensure the accuracy of job seeker information.

During the meeting, Lokesh reviewed special projects under the Skill Development initiative. Officials informed him that companies like IBM and Microsoft have agreed to offer training through Centers of Excellence at various universities on a "Train and Hire" basis.

Plans to establish a Center of Excellence under the National Academy of Construction (NAC) in Amaravati, aimed at training construction workers, were also discussed, with L&T involved in the initiative. Lokesh called for swift progress on establishing a Skill University in Amaravati, in line with government policy.