The British Council and Microsoft India signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for a co-developed three-year partnership programme, ‘English Skills for Youth’.
The programme aims to enhance the life opportunities of young people aged between 18 and 25, particularly women, in socio-economically marginalised communities in more than 17 Indian states.
The primary objective of the ‘English Skills for Youth’ project is to enhance employability opportunities for the youth. Microsoft and the British Council have co-developed this programme to impart one of the most in-demand skills — English language to the students.
The beneficiaries will also be equipped with essential underpinning skills, including collaboration, critical thinking, soft skills, and leadership abilities, offering a holistic development plan for the youth. These skills are crucial for improving employment prospects and facilitating further education opportunities.
Alison Barrett MBE, director India, British Council, said: “Enabling young people, particularly women, with life and employment opportunities is at the core of all our work in culture, education and English so we are delighted to announce the ‘English Skills for Youth’ programme with Microsoft India. This partnership model brings together expertise in developing the range of skills such as working collaboratively, critical thinking, English communication and soft skills, and leadership skills that are crucial for the age group of 18-25 years to improve their employability opportunities.”
The project seeks to benefit 60,000 youth and 600 teachers during the initial three-year pilot phase, with a long-term goal of reaching 400,000 young people engaged in Microsoft Philanthropies funded projects.
Navtez Bal, executive director, public sector, Microsoft India, said: “Bridging the skills gap is foundational to building towards inclusive economic and societal progress in today’s digital economy. Beyond imparting digital skills, it is critical to provide holistic training content including soft skills to job seekers of tomorrow. We are excited to partner with the British Council and have a deep impact on the country’s youth with in-demand skills for future-ready jobs.”
In India, an estimated one million people enter the workforce every month, yet only 10-20 per cent of women of working age are employed, making this initiative even more critical. The programme will have a deliberate intake of 75 per cent women learners in an attempt to bridge the gender divide in the workplace.
The ‘English Skills for Youth’ solution will be integrated into rural engineering colleges linked to Microsoft’s existing NGO/partner skilling projects for the underserved.
