• '21st Century Skills Conclave’ in Mumbai hosts multi-stakeholder discussions on enabling pathways for job-ready skills for youth.
• 40+ inspirational youth from Reliance Foundation’s initiatives across all states of India, felicitated for skilling journeys and professional success.

Mumbai, January 29, 2026: At the 21st Century Skills Conclave this week, Reliance Foundation marked a major milestone of reaching over 12 lakh people, with 3 lakh+ youth skilled and 1.8 lakh+ youth finding employment. With industry leaders, skilling practitioners, and young leaders, the Conclave deliberated on India’s evolving skills landscape and the future of work while celebrating journeys of youth who have transitioned from learning to earning. With keynote addresses, panel discussions, fireside conversations, and first-hand accounts from youth navigating the world of jobs, it was an effort to accelerate skilling and employment in line with India’s Skill India mission.

The need for adaptable, future-focused skills has never been greater, with technology reshaping industries and job roles. Summing up this need for the importance of soft skills, Ms Madhavi Sardeshmukh, Director of Vocational Education and Training, Government of Maharashtra, noted, “Capabilities matter the most today. We are moving towards building capabilities rather than focusing only on degrees to create a strong and future-ready workforce. I congratulate Reliance Foundation for its impactful skilling initiatives and milestones achieved, and urge industry to collaborate through public–private partnerships such as PM-SETU to develop an upgraded, industry-ready workforce.”

Speaking at the Conclave, Ms Nupur Bahl, Head - Skilling and Employment programme, Reliance Foundation, said, “India’s demographic dividend can translate into sustained national growth only when young people are equipped with future-ready skills. For decades, Reliance has believed in the transformative power of India’s youth. Today, this legacy continues through technology-enabled skilling initiatives that go beyond training to enable meaningful employment and long-term career pathways, towards enhanced lives of young people.” 

Highlighting the impact of collaborative partnerships, NSDC CEO Shri Arunkumar Pillai said, “The successful completion of the first phase of the Future Ready Skill Initiative, reaching thousands of candidates, is a strong testament to the impact that collaborative efforts can create at scale. Our partnership with Reliance Foundation has enabled learners to acquire industry-relevant skills and improve their employability. As we move into the second phase, we remain committed to deepening this impact by expanding access to future-ready skills and strengthening India’s workforce for emerging opportunities.”

With a future-focused skilling ecosystem that bridges aspiration, employability, and industry demand, Reliance Foundation continues to address critical skills gaps with the use of technology, AI and personalisation, strengthening pathways to sustainable livelihoods.

As the nature of work evolves, Reliance Foundation’s skilling initiatives adopt three core approaches—strengthening human and workplace skills, enabling digital and technology fluency, and fostering lifelong learning—to prepare young Indians for a rapidly changing job market.

Reliance Foundation’s skilling programme across 28 states of India includes:

• Preparing young people- particularly graduates who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET)—for first-time formal employment with workplace capabilities such as communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, adaptability, and collaboration, alongside exposure to emerging technologies shaping the future of jobs.
• Partnerships with higher education institutions across the country, strengthening the link between education, employability, and industry relevance. In addition, the Foundation works closely with national bodies such as AICTE and NSDC to support alignment with national skilling priorities and frameworks.
• The Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy – an open-access, digital platform offering AI-enabled, personalised skilling pathways and over 100 self-paced courses—including NSDC-recognised certifications—enabling youth nationwide to acquire future-ready skills.

A key highlight of the event was the felicitation of 40 young achievers, recognising their perseverance and success in building sustainable livelihoods. Kashish Sawant, a 24-year-old skilled candidate, secured her first job through Reliance Foundation’s 21st Century Skills Initiative, progressed rapidly along an accelerated career pathway within a few months. Acquiring the right skills transformed her confidence and helped shape a clear direction for her professional journey.

As India positions itself for a technology-driven future, Reliance Foundation’s skilling initiatives remain committed to leveraging partnerships, digital innovation, and AI-led learning to strengthen India’s skilling ecosystem—ensuring that young people are not only employable today, but prepared for the opportunities of tomorrow.

• Open to youth seeking skilling, reskilling and upskilling for successful careers
• Simplifies job connect with new-age technology
• Forward-looking platform facilitates mentorship by industry experts
• AICTE collaboration to enhance reach and impact of the Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy

In a step forward to shaping India’s tomorrow, Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Minister of State, Ministry of Education, Government of India, launched the Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy, a platform dedicated to preparing India’s youth for jobs of the future.

The platform was launched at a national conference on ‘Empowering Youth for the Jobs of the Future’, organized by Reliance Foundation in collaboration with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) that brought together leading voices from across government, policy, corporate philanthropy, industry, civil society, and academia to discuss skilling India’s youth.

Speaking at the launch, Shri. Jayant Chaudhary, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said, "India's youth stand at the crossroads of immense opportunities, and the collaboration between Reliance Foundation and NSDC marks a significant milestone in empowering them for the jobs of the future. The launch of the Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy, a joint platform, is a testament to this commitment, ensuring our youth are equipped with the skills needed to succeed in tomorrow's workforce. By investing in skilling, we are not only building a stronger workforce but also shaping a generation of leaders ready to take on global challenges. This initiative reflects our dedication to ensuring that every young person has access to the tools and training they need to thrive in an increasingly competitive world. Together, we are laying the foundation for a brighter, more inclusive future for all."

Calling attention to the future of skilling in a rapidly-evolving employment landscape, Mr. Jagannatha Kumar, CEO of Reliance Foundation, said, " Enabling young people to achieve their aspirations is a part of the core philosophy of Reliance Foundation. Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy is a step towards fulfilling those aspirations and preparing youth for the jobs of the future. By harnessing technology, the platform maximizes its reach and accessibility. It bridges the gap between education and employment to equip our young people with the skills they need to succeed in a dynamic landscape of jobs and entrepreneurship. Furthermore, the Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy plays a vital role in fostering a collaborative ecosystem by forging partnerships and uniting key stakeholders to drive innovation in skill development, ensuring that India's youth are empowered in this rapidly changing economic environment."

The Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy www.rfskillingacademy.com is open-to-all platform that offers future-ready courses for skill building, personalised expert guidance, and facilitates industry linkages for meaningful employment. It is designed to support an individual at any and every stage of their career by facilitating skilling, upskilling, and reskilling, including with unique user-specific recommendations and mentoring through industry leaders. Through the platform, Reliance Foundation aims to empower over 6 lakh young Indians in the next one year alone.

Reliance Foundation and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) have agreed to collaborate on the Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy to enhance the reach and impact of future-oriented skill courses developed on the platform, thereby supporting the Skill India Mission. By working together, the two organisations will ensure that these courses are accessible to students enrolled in higher educational institutions affiliated to AICTE across the country, significantly boosting their employability and readiness for the future workforce.

The national conference included key participants from across the country, including Prof. T.G. Sitharam, Chairman, AICTE, Mr. Ved Mani Tiwari, CEO, NSDC, and others, discussing on shaping India’s skilling landscape through strategies like strengthening curricula to include emerging technologies and 21st century skills, integrating mentorship into formal education, vocational training, and workforce development initiatives. The conference also brought out the need to prepare youth for jobs in areas featuring new and emerging technologies and strengthen skilling initiatives while ensuring equity.

A publication by Reliance Foundation, Building India's Future Young Talent: Stories of Transformation, a compilation of stories of individuals from across India, whose lives were transformed through skilling initiatives, was also launched at the conference.

India, with its vast and youthful population, presents a unique potential for economic growth. Yet, realising this potential depends on equipping its young people with the skills necessary to thrive in the dynamic and rapidly changing job market of the future.

Reliance Foundation is convening the National Conference on ‘Empowering Youth for the Jobs of the Future’ in partnership with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to delve into current youth employment trends, identify the essential future-ready skills, and devise actionable strategies to bridge the skills gap through discussions, presentations, and interactive sessions.

The conference will trace youth journeys and perspectives, facilitating collaborative discussions between the stakeholders to support youth at critical junctures of their careers. Recognising the need for collaborations in the national ecosystem across government, corporates, civil society, multi-laterals, and academia, we aim to unlock the potential of India's young workforce.

Providing further thrust to the initiative, Reliance Foundation will launch its Skilling Academy that seeks to revolutionise learning and employment opportunities for India’s youth, supported by one-to-one mentorship. The Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy is an open-to-all free platform that offers future-ready courses for skill building, personalised expert guidance, and facilitates industry linkages for employment. It aims to assist individuals at various stages of their careers by providing opportunities for skill development.

Click here to explore the Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy.

Building India's Future Young Talent: Stories of Transformation, a compilation of stories of individuals from across India who transformed their lives through skilling initiatives of Reliance Foundation and other organisations, will also be launched at the conference. Click on the button below to download a free copy of the publication.

Why skilling matters

India, with its vast and youthful population, presents a unique potential for economic growth. Yet, realising this potential depends on equipping its young people with the skills necessary to thrive in the dynamic and rapidly changing job market of the future.

Reliance Foundation is convening the National Conference on ‘Empowering Youth for the Jobs of the Future’ in partnership with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to delve into current youth employment trends, identify the essential future-ready skills, and devise actionable strategies to bridge the skills gap through discussions, presentations, and interactive sessions.

The conference will trace youth journeys and perspectives, facilitating collaborative discussions between the stakeholders to support youth at critical junctures of their careers. Recognising the need for collaborations in the national ecosystem across government, corporates, civil society, multi-laterals, and academia, we aim to unlock the potential of India's young workforce.

Providing further thrust to the initiative, Reliance Foundation will launch its Skilling Academy that seeks to revolutionise learning and employment opportunities for India’s youth, supported by one-to-one mentorship. The Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy is an open-to-all free platform that offers future-ready courses for skill building, personalised expert guidance, and facilitates industry linkages for employment. It aims to assist individuals at various stages of their careers by providing opportunities for skill development.

Click here to explore the Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy.

Building India's Future Young Talent: Stories of Transformation, a compilation of stories of individuals from across India who transformed their lives through skilling initiatives of Reliance Foundation and other organisations, will also be launched at the conference. Click on the button below to download a free copy of the publication.

Why skilling matters

India, with its vast and youthful population, presents a unique potential for economic growth. Yet, realising this potential depends on equipping its young people with the skills necessary to thrive in the dynamic and rapidly changing job market of the future.

Reliance Foundation is convening the National Conference on ‘Empowering Youth for the Jobs of the Future’ in partnership with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to delve into current youth employment trends, identify the essential future-ready skills, and devise actionable strategies to bridge the skills gap through discussions, presentations, and interactive sessions.

The conference will trace youth journeys and perspectives, facilitating collaborative discussions between the stakeholders to support youth at critical junctures of their careers. Recognising the need for collaborations in the national ecosystem across government, corporates, civil society, multi-laterals, and academia, we aim to unlock the potential of India's young workforce.

Providing further thrust to the initiative, Reliance Foundation will launch its Skilling Academy that seeks to revolutionise learning and employment opportunities for India’s youth, supported by one-to-one mentorship. The Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy is an open-to-all free platform that offers future-ready courses for skill building, personalised expert guidance, and facilitates industry linkages for employment. It aims to assist individuals at various stages of their careers by providing opportunities for skill development.

Click here to explore the Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy.

Building India's Future Young Talent: Stories of Transformation, a compilation of stories of individuals from across India who transformed their lives through skilling initiatives of Reliance Foundation and other organisations, will also be launched at the conference. Click on the button below to download a free copy of the publication.

Why skilling matters

• Over the next three years, 500,000 youth will be impacted with this partnership.
• State-of-the-art courses for future skills will be developed through this partnership.

Reliance Foundation and the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) have entered into a strategic partnership to create courses with future-ready skills for 500,000 Indian youth. This partnership entails the development of curriculum focusing on creating capacity for the youth in fields including EdTech, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), environmental sustainability, policy analysis and much more. With the help of Reliance Foundation’s digital-forward approach, this partnership is expected to garner popularity among youth interested in newer career avenues that require futuristic thinking.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister for Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, said, “India will become unstoppable by embracing the mantra of skilling, re-skilling and up-skilling. Various digital initiatives in the skilling ecosystem are ensuring Skills Anywhere, Skills Anytime and Skills for All. As India marches towards becoming a developed nation, by leveraging technology, scale and sustainability, Indian workforce will meet not only domestic demand, but also global demand and set new benchmarks.”

Emphasising the importance of this strategic partnership, Mr. Jagannatha Kumar, CEO, Reliance Foundation, said, “India has the largest youth population in the world, and this is our effort to prepare them with future-ready skills. At Reliance Foundation, we believe that this will help in fulfilling their aspirations and achieve their goals. This partnership with NSDC will help youth in skilling, to align competencies with evolving work profiles and opportunities. Reliance Foundation and NSDC bring a common vision and purpose along with our unique strengths, to contribute to our youth.”

Designing and development of high-quality curriculum; setting up student services; training of trainers; supporting collaborations; AI aided online assessments; certifications and industry aligned placements are an integral part of this partnership.

Reliance Foundation has been working on creating and enhancing livelihoods with opportunities for the marginalised and youth. This partnership with NSDC is yet another step in that direction.

About NSDC

Giving boost to Indian Government Skill India Mission, NSDC, a nodal skill development agency, working under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India, is a unique Public Private Partnership (PPP) that aims to catalyze the creation of a large and quality vocational training ecosystem in India. Since inception, NSDC has trained over three crore people in different sectors through its collaboration with training partners pan India. NSDC has established 37 Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) and implements the Government’s flagship skill development schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), among others. NSDC also funds enterprises, companies and organizations that provide skill training. The organization enables private-sector capacity building in skill development by offering concessional loans, other innovative financial products, and strategic partnerships. For more information, please visit at https://nsdcindia.org