CB BureauA community Career Development Centre (CDC), Karnataka’s first, to impart digital literacy will be set up by Tesco in Bengaluru in partnership with NASSCOM Foundation. The objective is to increase employability of youth from disadvantaged and marginalised communities in IT/ITES and retail sectors. The CDC will be located at Ambedkar Nagar near Whitefield and the intake of beneficiaries for the course will begin after the formal inauguration in October. The first phase will have 700 students with NASSCOM Foundation implementing the three-tiered programme, which will be free for the beneficiaries.
The digital literacy programme is in line with the curriculum of the National Digital Literacy Mission and the course will be a mix of digital and financial literacy, English language training, personality development and vocational training. Modules include data entry, business process outsourcing, business correspondence and accounting. It is designed to increase job readiness for the targeted sectors.
Young people who have passed Grade 12 and are from families with average income of less than INR one lakh are eligible for the programme. NASSCOM Foundation is responsible for identifying candidates but the exact selection process remains unclear. On successful completion of the course, they will receive an industry-recognised certificate and participation opportunities in job fairs that will be held at regular intervals.
The Tesco spokesperson informs CauseBecause that the strategic location of the CDC, in close proximity to the IT corridor in Bengaluru, is expected to help candidates find suitable jobs.
In a press release shared with CB, Sumit Mitra, CEO, Tesco Business Services & Tesco Bengaluru, said, ‘A corporate needs to wear two hats. One is about business and increasing shareholders’ value; the other is social responsibility as an obsession to make a difference, change lives and to create a better future. We believe boosting youth employment is essential to tap the demographic dividend of a country like India. It is also vital to increase employability to maximise opportunities for vocational training, particularly for young people from underprivileged sections of the society. As IT/ITES and retail sectors are buoyant in India, empowering youngsters from less fortunate communities with essential digital skills can ultimately help improve their socioeconomic status. At Tesco in Bengaluru, we are focused on extending our community engagement to bridge the digital divide.’