In a move to bridge the digital skill gap among women, BNP Paribas has partnered with Nasscom Foundation to train over 300 engineering women graduates through an employment-linked training project called Skill Development for marginalised Young Women towards Employment.

Marking its first year since launch, this hybrid program is designed for technical skilling of the next generation of women engineers in India from marginalised sections of society. The program is currently working with women engineering graduates from tier two and tier three colleges in Bengaluru, Tumakur, Mumbai and Pune.

“Women’s empowerment has been identified as key lever to a Viksit Bharat by the Government of India. By supporting women-centric skill development and enhancement programmes through philanthropic grants, corporates can lower barriers and carve out an accessible gateway for women to enter into various sectors of the economy and contribute to India’s progress,” said Sanjay Singh, CEO and Head of Territory, BNP Paribas India.

“At BNP Paribas, we pursue an active policy of Diversity, Equity and inclusion. Our partnership with nasscom is another step in this direction to drive inclusion in India. Through this partnership, we aim to deepen access to technology skills for economically weaker sections, thereby enabling improved and more inclusive livelihoods in India’s digital economy,” Sanjay Singh, added.

The hybrid programme trained students from select colleges on a range of technical skills. These include Python Developer and data analytics and soft skills including (verbal / non-verbal reasoning, numerical aptitude, logical reasoning, business etiquette, problem solving, time management, customer orientation and interview skills.

“The World Economic Forum’s ‘Future of Jobs’ report highlights the urgent need for new-age skills, with 60% of companies recognizing a deficit among candidates. Aligned with the government’s Skill India Mission, Nasscom foundation is dedicated to advancing the skills of the youth and fostering equal opportunities for all. In our partnership with BNP Paribas, we embarked on a journey to cultivate a young, digitally skilled talent pool. We are committed to train 300 dynamic young women in tech, empowering them with future-ready competencies that align with the dynamic needs of the job market,” said Nidhi Bhasin, CEO, Nasscom Foundation.

The women students are provided opportunities to secure job offers through placement drives and job fairs conducted by Nasscom foundation. A large percentage of these students, who are in the age group of 18-25 years, have already been placed with companies like IBM, CGI, Unisoft, etc.