The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) has joined forces with HCL Technologies (HCLTech), a global technology company, to address the skills gap, notably in the technology and engineering sectors. According to the statement, as part of the agreement, both companies will work together to encourage technology adoption among learners from varied backgrounds and to explore new global markets and business opportunities.
Ved Mani Tiwari, CEO of NSDC, and C Vijayakumar, CEO and managing director of HCLTech, signed the deal. This collaboration follows the previous G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG) conference, which established consensus on deliverables in three subject areas, as indicated in the statement: Digital Skill, Digital Economy, and Digital Public Infrastructure.
The alliance seeks to enable NSDC and HCLTech to jointly transform the assessment landscape and digital learning by introducing digital assessments in technical and non-technical courses (B2B and B2C). There is also an opportunity to collaborate on developing new products and programmes that enhance talent with flexibility and scalability.
Commenting on the collaboration, Ved Mani Tiwari, CEO of NSDC, said:
NSDC and HCLTech are entering into this partnership with a commitment to enhance the trust in job markets. Both organizations will jointly develop an assessment platform where students and working professionals can be assessed and certified for skills in demand. This is a significant step towards moving from qualification-based hiring to skill-based hiring. Both parties will also collaborate to offer reskilling upskilling online courses to prepare for opportunities in a dynamic job market.
The market for assessments is predicted to rise to USD 10 billion by 2027. In 2021, North America had the highest revenue share (40%). Europe has a vital role in international employability and employment rates, adding to the assessment services market’s expanding share. During the projection period, the APAC market is expected to develop fastest.
The partnership between NSDC and HCLTech claims to leverage each other’s technical and domain expertise in the Assessment platform, Assessment and hiring tests (both tech and non-tech), Smart labs (coding and data science), Learning programmes, Faculty development and certification programmes, and Advisory services for Government and institutions. Furthermore, both firms claim to work together in developing joint intellectual property (IP) for digitizing and digitizing assessments, encompassing the broader landscape of skilling as well as the educational ecosystem, and engaging in advising services and positioning tech solutions.
Srimathi Shivashankar, Corporate Vice President, Global Head, EdTech Business, HCLTech, stated:
We are delighted to join forces with NSDC to leverage digital technologies to build a future-ready talent ecosystem for India and the rest of the world. I am confident that HCLTech’s proven Career Shaper learning and assessments platforms and NSDC experience in talent and nation-building can make a significant impact on how technology can be smartly used for skilling.
Through its Career Shaper learning and assessment platforms, HCLTech’s EdTech Business uses its significant experience to assist governments, companies, and educational institutions in developing technology and talent skill academies. The organization employs over 221,000 people in 60 countries and provides industry-leading capabilities centred on digital, engineering, cloud, and AI, backed by a diverse range of technology services and products. It teams up with clients in various industries, including financial services, manufacturing, life sciences and healthcare, technology and services, telecommunications and media, retail and consumer packaged goods, and public services.
The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), which operates under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, is actively improving digital skills for India’s young by incorporating technology into skill development. Training materials are now more accessible and adaptable to shifting industry trends thanks to the introduction of online learning platforms and digital resources.
NSDC’s digital learning initiatives collaborate with Indian and global partners, offering access to over 1.4 lakh minutes of multi-lingual digital content in various sectors. This extensive resource pool equips learners with digital skills for today’s rapidly transforming world. Furthermore, NSDC’s partnerships with industry leaders have resulted in industry-specific skill development programmes, aligning training with industry needs and improving the quality of training while enhancing employment prospects for candidates. These collaborations bridge the gap between education and employment in the digital age, promoting India’s digital skills revolution.
Since its inception, NSDC has trained over three crore people in different sectors by collaborating with training partners pan India. It has established 37 Sector Skill Councils (SSCs). It implements the Government’s flagship skill development schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) and National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), among others. The platform also funds enterprises, companies and organizations that provide skill training. The recently launched Skill India Digital (SID) is one such platform that will play a pivotal role in transforming India into a thriving digital economy. This initiative coincides with the global consensus on Digital Public Infrastructures (DPI) during India’s G20 presidency. The platform will also prepare the younger generation for international job opportunities, aligning with the vision of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, to make India a global skill hub.
