To provide opportunities for socio-economically underserved youth

The British Council and Microsoft India have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a co-developed three-year partnership programme, ‘English Skills for Youth’. The programme aims to enhance the life opportunities of young people, aged 18-25, particularly women, in socio-economically marginalised communities across India.

The primary objective of the ‘English Skills for Youth’ project is to enhance employability opportunities for the youth. Microsoft and the British Council have co-developed this programme to impart one of the most in-demand skills –English language– to the students. The beneficiaries will also be equipped with essential underpinning skills, including collaboration, critical thinking, soft skills, and leadership abilities, offering a holistic development plan for the youth. These skills are crucial for improving employment prospects and facilitating further education opportunities.

As per estimates, in India, approximately one million people enter the workforce every month, yet only 10-20% of women of working age are employed, making this initiative even more critical. The programme will have a deliberate intake of 75% women learners, in an attempt to bridge the gender divide in the workplace.

The ‘English Skills for Youth’ solution will be integrated into rural engineering colleges linked to Microsoft’s existing NGO/partner skilling projects for the underserved. By adopting this innovative approach, the project seeks to benefit 60,000 youth and 600 teachers during the initial three-year pilot phase, with a long-term goal of reaching 400,000 young people engaged in Microsoft philanthropies funded projects. The programme will focus on building English communication skills and soft skills to equip students to present themselves confidently at job interviews and/or sustain their jobs in companies with a global customer base.

Alison Barrett MBE, Director India, British Council, said: “This partnership model brings together expertise in developing the range of skills such as working collaboratively, critical thinking, English communication and soft skills, and leadership skills that are crucial for the age group of 18-25 years to improve their employability opportunities.”

Present at the signing, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad, Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa, South Asia, UN at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and the UK Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, said: “The UK-India relationship has flourished over many decades, expanding once again through our commitments in the 2030 Roadmap for India-UK’s future relations.”