Union Minister of Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Dharmendra Pradhan, launched Project ODISERV on Friday, March 1, in Sambalpur to prepare young graduates of Odisha for employment opportunities in the financial services sector.

While speaking at the event, Pradhan said that Project ODISERV will empower the youth of the country, make them more employable and fulfil their aspirations. He also mentioned how the new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is bridging the gap between education and skilling, creating more synergies and allowing students to acquire job-ready skills along with academic knowledge.

The minister informed that 1,100 students in Odisha have already been trained under Project ODISERV and a few of them have also received job offers. He congratulated all the candidates who have been placed. Pradhan expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for envisioning making India’s youth future and industry-ready. Project ODISERV is a perfect example of industry-academia collaboration, he added.

Pradhan also mentioned that the 100-hour training programme will equip Odisha’s youth with crucial skills required in the banking, finance and insurance industries. The training programme will boost competencies, increase the employability of Yuva Shakti of Odisha and prepare a future-ready workforce, he said.