India to become global skills hub 'very soon': Dharmendra Pradhan

India will soon be the global skills hub, Dharmendra Pradhan said, underlining the importance of investment in education and skill development

India will soon be the global skills hub, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Tuesday, underlining the importance of investment in education and skill development to ensure people have the knowledge and required capabilities to capture opportunities in 21st century.

The Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship was speaking at an event for collaboration between National Skill Development Corporation, and Hotel and Tourism Management Institute (HTMi), Switzerland.

NSDC and HTMi envision to support the hospitality and tourism industry with large numbers of well-trained hospitality professionals, through the Swiss Apprentice Education and Training Mode.

This partnership will assist students make a career in the hospitality sector and narrow the existing gap between the demand and supply of skills across the globe.

Pradhan said investments in education and skill development of "our people are imperative to ensure that they have required knowledge and capabilities to succeed in 21st century."

"India will be the skill hub of the global economy. It is already there and I see a lot of growth in hospitality industry," said the minister, adding that students studying under the dual degree framework will get employment assurance and great exposure.

He shared that the students enrolled in the programme can acquire credits through a credit framework which will be deposited in an academic bank of credit.

The minister observed that this kind of dual degree collaboration and mutual recognition is the way forward for upskilling and reskilling of "our workforce as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi."

"We have to capture opportunities of 21st century and India will be the global skill hub very soon," Pradhan said.

The partnership between NSDC and HTMi will provide options for international pathways, internship opportunities and placement assistance by HTMi Switzerland. Lamrin Tech Skill University (LTSU), first of its kind industry incubated skill university in India by IBM as an Anchor Partner, Tata Technologies & Ansys Corporation as industry partners is supporting NSDC as key implementation partner.

HTMi Hotel and Tourism Management Institute Switzerland has campuses in Switzerland, Australia, Dubai, Kazakhstan, Arabia, Mauritius, China.

It offers undergraduate programmes, postgraduate programmes, Swiss-European culinary arts programmes and specialisation and certified professional programmes.