The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and HCL Technologies (HCLTech), a global technology company, have joined forces to bridge the skills gap, particularly in the technology and engineering sectors. This strategic partnership seeks to enable NSDC and HCLTech to jointly transform the assessment landscape and digital learning, introducing digital assessments for both technical and non-technical courses.
The agreement was signed by Ved Mani Tiwari, CEO of NSDC, and C Vijayakumar, CEO and managing director of HCLTech. The collaboration follows the G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG) conference, which established consensus on deliverables in three subject areas, namely Digital Skill, Digital Economy, and Digital Public Infrastructure.
The alliance seeks to provide learners from diverse backgrounds the opportunity to adopt technology, and explore new global markets and business opportunities. It will also develop an assessment platform where students and working professionals can be assessed and certified for skills in demand, moving from qualification-based hiring to skill-based hiring.
In addition, the collaboration will facilitate reskilling and upskilling online courses to prepare individuals for job opportunities in a dynamic job market. The market for assessments is anticipated to reach USD 10 billion by 2027.
NSDC and HCLTech will leverage each other’s technical and domain expertise in the development of the assessment platform. This will include offering 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.
The partnership also aims to develop joint intellectual property (IP) for digitizing assessments, encompassing the broader landscape of skilling as well as the educational ecosystem.
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.”
HCLTech’s EdTech Business has been assisting governments, companies, and educational institutions in developing technology and talent skill academies. This is done through its Career Shaper learning and assessment platforms.
NSDC, 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.
This collaboration is an opportunity for teachers and educators to enable their students to gain the necessary skills to excel in the modern job market. Through this alliance, teachers and educators will have access to various resources and digital learning platforms to provide students with the best possible support. The digital skills revolution initiated by NSDC will help equip students with the necessary skills to thrive in the digital age.
