AP to launch massive exercise to map skill gaps in workforce
30,000 engineering graduates and professionally qualified youth, who have been employed in the villages and ward sachivalayams (secretariats) will be deployed for collecting the required data
image for illustrative purpose
Visakhapatnam: The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to create a comprehensive database of available and needed skill sets, on the lines of Linkedin. This initiative was highlighted during a recent interactive meeting of the Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSIDC) with key stakeholders.
Described as a unique survey conducted anywhere in India by any State, AP after clearance from the State Cabinet to fulfill one of the poll promises made by the TDP-led three-party coalition, an exercise of similar kind is being organised across the State.
Part of Super Six promises, the survey envisages mapping skills for 3.54 crore of potential workforce in the State to ensure optimum utilisation of demographic dividends.
“Skill is important like a passport, Aadhar card and PAN in the fast-growing data-driven knowledge society. The census will have advanced features like obtaining any data on skills available and needed for value addition/creation to address the problem of unemployment, underemployment and hiring people at a higher cost with high attrition rate. This will also lead to brain gain arresting the trend of brain drain, which is technically termed as reverse migration,” Sreedhar Kosaraju, MD of Nimaisoft Systems and Convener-Founder of AP Digital Technologies Development Forum (APDTI) told Bizz Buzz on Sunday.
During his maiden visit to Visakhapatnam after taking over as Minister for IT, Electronics, HRD & RTG, Nara Lokesh laid emphasis on the skill census and declared that the city, the largest in AP, will be transformed into a fintech hub by encouraging investments in AI and data security. He also disclosed that they wanted to make Visakhapatnam $100 billion economy as part of Vision 2047 to be unveiled by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on October 2.
After Cabinet nod, the government has already launched skill census work as a pilot project at Mangalagiri, part of Amaravati Capital Region. For finalising HRD strategies, the government intends to update skill data periodically and address with the problem of skill scarcity through a multi-pronged approach with clinical precision. APSSDC MD Gummala Ganesh Kumar said at the meeting here that they would hold interactive meetings with the IT community to identify skill gaps.
Appreciating the trend-setting initiative, Kosaraju said now discussions are on how to validate the database. There was also discussion on avoiding partnering with any agency to avoid data breach risk. Around 30,000 engineering graduates and professionally qualified youth, who have been employed in the villages and ward sachivalayams (secretariats) will be deployed for collecting the required data. Consultation with the industry and domain experts may be done to identify the skill gaps.
