TCS Partners with University of Kashmir to launch education, skilling, and entrepreneurship programs

Srinagar/Mumbai, February 25, 2022: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), 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. Under the YEP, 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 ALP will augment the Government of India’s efforts to address the challenge of educating adults. The ALP will be implemented through the university’s Directorate of Lifelong Learning.
Balaji Ganapathy, Global Head, Corporate Social Responsibility, TCS, said, “TCS believes in investing in helping young people to become responsible and productive citizens. We are pleased to partner with the University of Kashmir to empower students and educators in the region with skillsets and mindsets for the digital economy. We strive to create digital social innovators among school children. We are delighted that the University has agreed to play the role of a facilitator to connect us 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.
“Our goal is to train, coach, and mentor young individuals of University of Kashmir and enable livelihoods through both, employment and entrepreneurship,” added Balaji Ganapathy.
Professor Talat Ahmad, Vice-Chancellor, University of Kashmir, said, "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. I urge more corporates to come forward to make the youth of Kashmir realize their potential."
Prior to this, TCS partnered with Udaan, an initiative of the Government of India to empower the unemployed youth of J&K through skills training to help them find employment in corporate India. Over the next five years, TCS trained 869 youth, of whom 782 were offered jobs at TCS.