British Council and Microsoft ink pact to instil skills in 400,000 young Indians

New Delhi: In a move to empower young people, especially women, in socio-economically disadvantaged communities across India, the British Council and Microsoft India have joined forces in a three-year partnership program called 'English Skills for Youth.'

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two organizations aims to enhance employability opportunities for youth aged 18-25.

The primary objective of the 'English Skills for Youth' project is to equip students with proficiency in English while providing them with essential skills such as collaboration, critical thinking, soft skills, and leadership abilities, said a statement.

This comprehensive development plan will empower the youth and bridge the gender divide in the workplace, with a deliberate focus on enrolling 75% of women learners.

The innovative approach of this program involves integrating the 'English Skills for Youth' solution into rural engineering colleges already associated with Microsoft's NGO/partner skilling projects for underserved communities.

During the initial three-year pilot phase, the program aims to benefit 60,000 youth and 600 teachers. Furthermore, the long-term goal is to engage 400,000 young people through projects funded by Microsoft Philanthropies.

The program's key aspects include enhancing the capacity of English faculty and placement officers in state engineering colleges across India, facilitating the development of English skills for students, particularly women, through a community-of-practice approach, and establishing an interface with industry by organizing joint thought leadership forums led by Microsoft and the British Council.