50,000 government officials will undergo 100 hours of AI training under the Civil Services Capacity Building Program

■  Engineering colleges

■ Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs)

■ Rural engineering colleges

■ AI training to 30,000 students in 30 it is in rural areas

Metro India News | amaravati

In a major initiative to enhance youth skills in artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced technologies, the Andhra Pradesh government has signed a significant agreement with global tech giant Microsoft. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was formalized in the presence of State Minister for Education, IT, and Electronics, Nara Lokesh. Representatives from Microsoft and the Andhra Pradesh Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) participated in the signing ceremony.

The primary objective of this partnership is to equip students, professionals, and educators with foundational and advanced AI skills. This initiative will help create a skilled workforce to meet the growing demands of the IT and technology-driven industries in the state.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister Nara Lokesh stated that under this agreement, Microsoft will provide skill development training to 2,00,000 youth across Andhra Pradesh within a year. The program will enable participants to leverage global opportunities in AI and emerging technologies, enhancing their employability.

The initiative focuses on various segments of learners, including Engineering colleges, Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and public sector workforce. In Engineering colleges, Microsoft will train 500 faculty members and 10,000 engineering students in AI and cloud computing across 50 rural engineering colleges. Similarly AI training will be provided to 30,000 students in 30 ITIs located in rural areas, with a focus on digital productivity.

Furthermore, in collaboration with UNICEF, the state will introduce “Passport to Earning 2.0,” benefiting 40,000 students. Additionally, with support from the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment, another 20,000 individuals will receive AI training. To enhance digital governance and administrative capabilities, 50,000 government officials will undergo 100 hours of AI training under the Civil Services Capacity Building Program. Also, 20,000 government employees will receive AI upskilling and reskilling through self-learning modules, workshops, and webinars.

To ensure effective implementation, the APSSDC will provide the necessary physical infrastructure for AI training. It will also coordinate with different departments to streamline the training process. Additionally, Microsoft will offer training and certification programs to incorporate AI into educational curricula across various institutions.

The event was attended by Education Secretary Kona Sasidhar, APSSDC Managing Director Ganesh Kumar, Executive Director Dinesh Kumar, Microsoft South Head for Government Business Dinesh Kanakamedala, and Microsoft India-South Asia Director Sandeep Bandvedkar, among others. This partnership marks a crucial step in positioning Andhra Pradesh as a hub for AI talent, strengthening its workforce and fostering innovation in emerging technologies.