Lucknow, May 6 — The Department of Vocational Education and Skill Development, Uttar Pradesh, signed 22 Letters of Intent (LoIs) with various companies during a one-day academia-industry summit titled ‘Uttar Pradesh’s Path Towards Entrepreneurial Development’ held in Lucknow on Tuesday.
The initiative is aimed at creating employment opportunities for nearly 27,000 youth across diverse sectors, including tourism and hospitality, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, banking, and finance. The summit was inaugurated by Kapil Dev Agarwal, Minister for Vocational Education, Skill Development, and Entrepreneurship, who emphasized the government’s vision of turning youth into job creators rather than job seekers.
“Stakeholders from sector skill councils, industries, entrepreneurs, government bodies, and academia have come together to ensure the effective implementation of skill development mission programs,” said Agarwal. He also stressed that the Uttar Pradesh Skill Development Mission (UPSDM) is central to the state’s ambition of becoming a $1 trillion economy, calling for greater innovation, investment, and participation from the industry.
Adding to the occasion, the minister unveiled ‘Hunar Mitra’, a first-of-its-kind magazine focused on skills and entrepreneurship.
Principal Secretary of Vocational and Skill Development, Hariom, called upon industrial establishments and other stakeholders to actively partner with the government in promoting economic development through employment generation. Mission Director Pulkit Khare shared that companies such as Reliable First Edcon Pvt. Ltd., Quess Corp, Golcondas Exports, and Saranya Health Service Pvt. Ltd. will train and provide jobs to 26,811 youths as part of the initiative.
The summit also featured insightful panel discussions where experts advocated for integrating entrepreneurship awareness at the school level and involving industry players in the evaluation of skill training programs. Suggestions included making vocational training aspirational and incorporating internships for trainers to enhance the quality of education.
Recognizing excellence, principals of Government Industrial Training Institutes in Barabanki, Gorakhpur, and Bulandshahr were honoured for outstanding performance. Additionally, five training providers and project implementing agencies were awarded for their exceptional contribution to skill development.
This summit marks a significant step in aligning education with industry needs and fostering a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem in Uttar Pradesh.
