The Meghalaya government has signed an agreement) with the 1M1B Foundation (One Million for One Billion) to set up the state’s 1st and India’s 2nd Green Skills Academy in Shillong to accelerate the adoption of green skills amongst the college students in the state.
The partnership aims to train 1 Lakh youths from Meghalaya by the year 2029 with top 10 youth given an opportunity every year to showcase their work at the annual 1M1B summit at the United Nations in New York.
The 1M1B Green Skills Academy is developed for college students aged over 18. It is designed to equip the future workforce with the skillset, mindset and toolsets needed in a rapidly evolving green economy.
An official press release said that the academy offers a unique blend of theoretical knowledge, projects, workplace experiences, internships and job readiness mentoring creating a dynamic learning environment. It will further empower participants with a range of specialized skills like artificial intelligence, sustainable design, data analysis, and project management.
The memorandum of understanding was signed in the presence of Development Commissioner & Principal Secretary Sampath Kumar, Commissioner & Secretary, Information Technology, & Communication (IT&C) Department, Pravin Bakshi and Deepika Venkatesh, Program Manager- Green Skills & Sustainability, 1M1B at the Additional Secretariat here today.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said, “It is a pleasure to collaborate with 1M1B in establishing the 1M1B Green Skills Academy here at Meghalaya, aimed at accelerating the adoption of green skills among our college youth in our state.”
Kumar said, “Meghalaya has adopted a science-based life cycle model to cultivate its human capital, fostering the future economic development of the state. This collaboration with 1M1B is in perfect alignment with our mutual objective of empowering the young adolescents of the state by equipping them with skills that will prepare them for the future.”
Bakshisaid, “It is an innovative and vibrant collaboration that we have embarked upon with 1M1B especially setting up of 1M1B Green Skills Academy leveraging AI which is only the second such initiative in the country .The State Government of Meghalaya and stakeholder Departments of Education and IT & Communications are delighted to take forward this collaboration and partnership .”
Manav Subodh, Founder and Chief Mentor, 1M1B, said, “We believe Green Skills and AI skills are big equalizers and can be leveraged to provide inclusive career opportunities to the youth of Meghalaya. Green Skills Academy will also collate Inputs and recommendations from diverse stakeholders in the State of Meghalaya for United Nations Summit of the Future 2024, with focus on AI, cyber safety, climate action and inclusive technologies”.
The Summit of the Future (September 2024) is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to enhance cooperation on critical challenges and address gaps in global governance, reaffirm existing commitments including the Sustainable Development Goals and the United Nations Charter, and move towards a reinvigorated multilateral system that is better positioned to positively impact people’s lives.