Directorate of training inks pact with AWS India to upskill students in emerging technologies

The Directorate General of Training (DGT), an apex organisation under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), has joined forces with Amazon Web Services (AWS) India to enhance students’ capabilities and employability in the fields of cloud computing, data annotation, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML). The pact aims to provide students enrolled in DGT institutions with valuable self-paced online learning programs at no cost.

Under this partnership, AWS India will offer cutting-edge learning content through DGT’s Bharat Skills platform. This platform serves as a central repository of updated curriculum, course content, question banks, and learning videos for all courses under the Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS) and Crafts Instructor Training Scheme (CITS) offered by approximately 15,000 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and 33 National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) across India.

“We are making training on high-demand, emerging technologies available to students, opening up new opportunities for them, and enhancing their employability. Through this initiative with AWS, students from ITIs and NSTIs can gain in-demand skills and hands-on experience in important areas such as cloud computing, data annotation, AI, and ML,” said Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary of MSDE.

The move, government said, has a significance in preparing a skilled workforce in cloud computing, AI, and ML to drive innovation and enhance the country's competitiveness. By offering relevant AWS-based curriculum and learning resources to learners and educators, AWS is making a significant investment in India's future digital workforce.

“Cloud computing, AI, and ML are transforming nearly every industry, and developing a workforce skilled in these technologies is important to drive innovation and enhance the country’s competitiveness,” said Sunil PP, Lead—Education, Space, Non-profits, Channels, and Alliances at AWS India Private Limited.

AWS India will provide nominated education institutions under DGT with a ready-to-teach cloud computing curriculum, enabling students to pursue industry-recognised certifications and access in-demand cloud jobs.

The collaboration between DGT and AWS India is expected to play a vital role in equipping Indian students with the necessary skills to thrive in the evolving digital landscape and contribute to the nation's economic growth and competitiveness.

The ongoing trend of cloud adoption has accelerated, especially since the pandemic pushed organizations of all sizes to digitise their operations and enable remote working through cloud-based services. According to the “Asia Pacific Digital Skills Study: The Economic Benefits of a Tech-Savvy Workforce” research, 92% of the 769 employers surveyed in India believe that at least one emerging technology, such as AI, edge and quantum computing, block chain, and cryptocurrency, is likely to become a standard part of their future business operations.