Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday launched the Skills Delivery Platform Kerala, a project to link engineering colleges with the industry through tele presence network, with an aim to enhance their skill sets and employability.
He launched it at the Sree Chitra Thirunal College of Engineering through teleconferencing from his office.
“The society and our students have to keep up with the changes that technology is bringing about. The State government formulated this platform to link our higher education institutions to the industry and community skill parks with this aim. As many as 9,000 students from 150 institutions can take part in this simultaneously. In the next four to five years, the aim is to equip at least 50,000 students with the required skill sets. Coconics, the laptop developed by the new public-private company, will be used for this platform,” said the CM.
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Transport Minister A.K. Saseendran, in his keynote address, said the project would impart the kind of skill sets that would keep them in good stead in the job market.
“The platform was launched as part of the government’s aim to change the old practices in the engineering education sector using modern technology. This will channelise the students’ interests towards the industry, which will be able to conduct courses to impart skill sets, which they require in these institutions. In recent years, there have been complaints regarding the lack of required skills among our graduates, which can be addressed with initiatives like this,” he said.
Usha Titus, Principal Secretary of the Higher Education Department, said the launching of the platform was a landmark event.
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“According to a recent report submitted at the World Economic Forum (WEF), as many as 65% of students who are now in Class I will be doing jobs that do not exist now when they are of employable age. All such recent studies point at the fact that it is not enough for graduates to have just theoretical knowledge, but the required skill sets suited for the industry too. Courses, which may not be available in our curriculum, but which will be required by the industry, can be made available through the platform. A course in robotic animation, curated by the Information and Communications Technology Academy, will begin soon. Courses that are suited for various industries will be made available soon,” she said.
In the work together
The Kerala State IT Infrasturcture Limited, Additional Skill Acquisition Programme (ASAP), ICT Academy, and the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University are working together for the programme.