The Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) – an initiative by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship – has enrolled 4,799 senior learners in 32 states and UTs (across 505 districts) and is offering them courses in ML, AI, and big data, Ved Mani Tiwari, CEO, National Skill Development Corporation, and MD, NSDC International, told FE.
“The SIDH has started offering senior citizens (above the age of 50) Industry 4.0 courses, and we’ve seen that web design, cybersecurity, and Kisan drone operation are becoming popular among them,” Tiwari said. “Lifelong learning is essential for creating a future-ready India, and here are three inspirational stories.”
Partha Baruah
The 51-year-old Baruah is a farm owner and operates a travel agency in Jorhat, Assam. He enrolled in the Kisan drone operator course, and not only has he modernised his farming practices, but has also been capturing the scenic beauty of Assam, which has given a boost to his travel agency.
Prafulla Rawat
The 55-year-old Rawat is a field technician and also an instructor at ITI Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, who took up the SIDH’s employability skills and entrepreneurship skills courses to improve his skill sets and help his students, but he expects the platform to host more courses in multiple Indian languages, particularly Hindi, so that more and more students from underserved areas can get enrolled.
Sanjiv Nigam
The 54-year-old Nigam, a senior teacher from Ashok Vihar, New Delhi, enrolled himself in the Google Cloud Generative AI course, and is now helping students understand the nuances of AI. He, however, said that the SIDH should have a platform specifically for teachers, “where we can find courses tailored to teaching specific subjects,” he said.
While there is a long way to go, Tiwari said that the SIDH – launched on September 13, 2023 – has become a vital resource for senior citizens within a year, and a go-to destination for those seeking career advancement and continuous learning.
