In a significant step towards improving the employability of youth, the Government of Andhra Pradesh has roped in the e-commerce giant, Alibaba, to impart technical and marketing skills to the job-seekers and absorb the talented ones among them.
Taking this initiative forward, Ministers N. Lokesh (Panchayat Raj and Information Technology) and Bhuma Akhila Priya (Tourism) held talks with Wonder Chan, the Chinese company’s India business development head, and Sanjay Sharma, Global Head of TDI International, a leading outdoor advertising firm and a partner of Alibaba, in Hyderabad on Saturday.
Addressing the media later, Ms. Akhila Priya said the collaboration with Alibaba would be helpful to those eyeing a career in sectors such as tourism, where skills play a crucial role in customer acquisition and retention. Alibaba’s expertise would enable the State bridge the skill gap, she said.
MoU soon
Senior government officials and Alibaba would sign a MoU in about 10 days in Vijayawada, the Minister said.
Mr. Chan said his company looked forward to train the vast pool of youth in Andhra Pradesh, thereby enable them to gain an edge over their competitors. The partnership was intended to train youngsters in technical, e-commerce, and marketing fields.
Thrust area
Alibaba is so far the biggest company dealing in e-commerce, and with which the government has firmed up a deal for skill development as it seeks to improve the quality of its human resource, particularly the educated youth who constitute the most valuable chunk of the State’s human capital.
This is against the backdrop of the focus laid down by the government on promoting the services sector, whose contribution to the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) assumes greater weightage vis-à-vis the targeted double-digit growth.
