The Meghalaya Multisectoral Project for Adolescent Wellbeing Empowerment and Resilience (MPOWER) – Planning, Investment, Promotion and Sustainable Development Department, The Department of Education, Information Technology & Communication(IT&C) Department, Meghalaya State Skills Development Society, Government of Meghalaya has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the 1M1B Foundation (One Million for One Billion) to setup the state’s 1st and India’s 2nd Green Skills Academy in Shillong to accelerate the adoption of green skills amongst the college youth in the state of Meghalaya.
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 Memorandum of Understanding was signed in the presence of Sampath Kumar, Development Commissioner & Principal Secretary, Government of Meghalaya and Pravin Bakshi, Commissioner & Secretary, Information Technology, & Communication (IT&C) Department, and Deepika Venkatesh, Program Manager- Green Skills & Sustainability, 1M1B at Additional Secretariat, Shillong.
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.
The Green Skills Academy offers a unique blend of theoretical knowledge, projects, workplace experiences, internships and job readiness mentoring creating a dynamic learning environment. The Academy will further empower participants with a range of specialized skills like artificial intelligence,sustainable design, data analysis, and project management. By embedding real-world challenges into the learning process, the programme will nurture critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration abilities, all of which are crucial for success in green and sustainable career paths. The Green Skills Academy will benefit the youth through direct interactions with industry experts, mentors, and sustainability-focused organizations and provide guidance, mentorship, and potential employment opportunities.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister of Meghalaya, 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.”
Sampath Kumar, Development Commissioner & Principal Secretary, 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.”
Pravin Bakshi, Commissioner & Secretary, Information Technology, & Communication (IT&C) Department (IT&C) said, “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 Educationand IT & Communications are delighted to take forward this collaboration and partnership .”
Manav Subodh, Founder and Chief Mentor, 1M1B, said, “We are proud to partner with the Government of Meghalaya to set up 1M1B Green Skills Academy in the state. 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.
