Microsoft, NIELIT team up to train youth in cybersecurity skills for jobs

Tech titan Microsoft and National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) on Wednesday announced a collaboration to increase access to skills for jobs through Cyber Shikshaa and Ready4Cybersecurity programmes.

Nearly 3,500 learners will undergo training and receive internship or employment opportunities for in-demand cybersecurity jobs.

NIELIT and Microsoft will deploy Cyber Shikshaa and Ready4Cybersecurity programmes in 30 training centres of NIELIT in Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns, with a special focus on Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and states in the North-East region of India.

NIELIT and Microsoft have collaborated to train youth in cybersecurity skills for jobs, a release said, adding these programmes would be scaled in subsequent years to integrate cybersecurity training programmes in all the training centres of NIELIT.

The global cybersecurity skills gap and the lack of diversity in the workforce are among the urgent issues facing the digital economy.

Studies show that 3.4 million people are needed to fill the global cybersecurity workforce gap.

The collaboration between NIELIT and Microsoft will help reduce the talent deficit for cybersecurity professionals and provide employment opportunities for 1,100 underserved youth in the pilot year of deployment," the release informed.

Further, it said that about 3,500 learners will take training and receive internship or job opportunities for cybersecurity jobs.

Apart from providing grants for training, Microsoft's support will include curriculum content, certifications, and mentorship opportunities.

As the country's premier institution for examination and certification in the field of Information, Electronics and Communications Technology (IECT), NIELIT aims to develop skilled professionals and provide support to learners and trainers both through design and development of curriculum and acquisition of content.

The development comes amid Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella's visit to India.

Nadella, who is on a four-day multi-city tour, was in Mumbai on Tuesday, and in Delhi on Wednesday. He is also scheduled to visit Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

On Wednesday, Nadella called on Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar. The minister invited Microsoft CEO to invest in India's expanding innovation and startup ecosystem.

"Co-Alumnus from @MIT_MANIPAL & CEO @Microsoft @satyanadella dropped by @GoI_MeitY today. Had an interesting chat about future of #Tech & @_DigitalIndia incl @OfficialIndiaAI, search, gaming, compute and IndiaCloud," Chandrasekhar tweeted.