Bhubaneswar: With an aim to prepare women students for careers in non-traditional sectors, the Odisha government has launched a programme to train 1,000 girls in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies.
The department of Higher Education signed an MoU with Edunet Foundation on Saturday for achieving this objective.
As part of the partnership, women students will receive training in AI, data science, machine learning, cyber security, Python programming and data analytics.
The skill development programme, supported jointly by Edunet Foundation and Microsoft, will comprise 240 hours of coursework and practical training.
Officials said the programme will also feature a special module titled ‘Career Opportunities for Women in Artificial Intelligence’ to help students understand the growing employment prospects in the field. Participants will be given opportunities to work on capstone projects involving modern technologies, besides receiving internship and placement support.
After successful completion of the programme, students will receive certificates from Edunet Foundation and Microsoft.
Speaking about the initiative, Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj said it is in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasises skill development and exposure to modern technologies.
The programme has been designed to empower women students with industry-relevant skills and improve their employability in emerging sectors, he said.
The MoU was signed in the presence of higher education commissioner-cum-secretary Aravind Agrawal and Edunet Foundation director Ashish Arora.