Infosys, ICT Academy partner to skill 48,000 rural India students

BENGALURU, INDIA — Infosys Foundation, the charitable arm of Infosys, recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the ICT Academy of Tamil Nadu to enhance the employability of 48,000 students in rural India over the next three years.

The partnership will establish ‘Centers of Excellence for Women and Youth Empowerment’ in over 450 colleges across India. 

Empowering rural youth through education

These centers will offer both online and offline training, including 80 hours of core skills and 20 hours of soft skills. 

The program will also facilitate job placements, host youth empowerment summits, and provide coding practice for real-world problems.

Infosys Foundation has committed over ₹33 crore ($3.9 million) to this initiative. The funds will support training programs in sectors such as IT, banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI), retail, e-commerce, logistics, and knowledge process outsourcing (KPO). 

The initiative will also utilize Infosys Springboard, the company’s digital learning platform, to make education more accessible.

Industry-academia collaboration

This partnership aligns with the Indian government’s vision of strengthening Skill India, Digital India, Startup India, and Make in India initiatives.

Sumit Virmani, Trustee of Infosys Foundation, emphasized the importance of education in empowering the less fortunate. 

“Through our collaboration with the ICT Academy, we will equip young learners in rural India with essential technical and soft skills, improving their industry readiness and employability,” he stated

V Srikanth, CEO of ICT Academy, highlighted the evolving industry demands and the initiative’s long-term impact. 

“The demand for a skilled workforce in advanced IT, KPO, BFSI, retail, e-commerce, and logistics has never been higher. This initiative by Infosys Foundation is about investing in the long-term career success of 48,000 students,” he noted.

Building a future-ready workforce

This collaboration between Infosys Foundation and ICT Academy is poised to create a future-ready workforce in rural India. 

By equipping students with the necessary skills and facilitating job placements, the initiative aims to bridge the gap between education and employability, fostering sustainable careers and contributing to the nation’s economic growth.