Why in news:

• Tata Consultancy Services in partnership with the University of Kashmir, has launched a program to improve employability skills of students in Kashmir, under its Corporate Social Responsibility initiative.
• Over the next three years, TCS will carry out its Youth Employment Program (YEP), BridgeIT, goIT, Ignite My Future (IMF) and Adult Literacy Program (ALP) that have already seen success in other parts of the country.

Key Points:

• Under the Youth Employment Program, school and college students will be trained in 21st century skills that are required to be successful in the digital economy.
• The training program covers English communication, corporate etiquette, analytical thinking, and problem-solving, basic computer and technical skills, and self-confidence.
• The University of Kashmir will play the role of a facilitator to create linkages for TCS to drive its goIT and IMF initiatives.
• goIT is a program for school students that increases interest in technology through design thinking, mobile app development, and mentorship from TCS employees.
• TCS Ignite My Future Program is a pioneering, transdisciplinary educator training and resource program which aims to transform the way students learn.
• The Adult Literacy Program (ALP) will augment the Government’s efforts to address the challenge of educating adults. The ALP will be implemented through the university’s Directorate of Lifelong Learning.
• TCS says that it believes in investing in helping young people to become responsible and productive citizens. In pursuance of the endeavour, the company is pleased to partner with the University of Kashmir to empower students and educators in the region with skillsets and mindsets for the digital economy.
• It claims to strive to create digital social innovators among school children. Therefore, they are delighted that the University has agreed to play the role of a facilitator to connect them with institutions at the school level.
• Additionally, TCS will pilot an ‘Entrepreneurship in Tourism’ program under its flagship BridgeIT program for promising students from the university’s Department of Tourism, Hospitality and Leisure Studies. The goal of this project is to build the requisite skills to participate in the tourism industry in the valley and elsewhere.
• These students will be mentored in key domain functions, portal management, data management and analytics and market assessment.
• They will also be guided around seed funding and human resources development to establish a tourism start-up.
• The program will also help entrepreneurs connect with the larger tourism ecosystem, including travel agencies, tour-operators, rural tourism and agri-tourism and adventure tourism.
• The goal of the company is to train, coach, and mentor young individuals of University of Kashmir and enable livelihoods through both, employment and entrepreneurship.
• Such collaboration between academia and the industry shall go a long way in fostering strong linkages for skill enhancement, proper placement and entrepreneurship development among students and youth.
• Strengthening such relationships with industry and corporates for building competencies and resulting in industry orientation for students will translate into timely placement and greater work efficiency.