India and Singapore will enter into an agreement for skilling Indian youths in the aviation sector at the Aero India Show next week. Under the pact, academies will be set up in Bengaluru and other places in India that will act as regional hubs for the training of Indian youths for domestic and overseas jobs in this sector. 

National Skill Development Corporation of India's (NSDC) Aerospace and Aviation Sector Skill Council in collaboration with Singapore Polytechnic and a Singapore-based private sector firm will be signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on February 22 to establish skill development centers. 

In particular, these 'Centers of Excellence in Advance Skilling' will provide training and certification drawing from Singapore curriculum and standards in sectors such as aerospace and aviation, emerging technologies, automotive and logistics. 

India's High Commissioner in Singapore Jawed Ashraf stated, “These are all priority sectors under 'Skill India' and 'Make in India' programmes, which require large workforce with advanced technical skills.” 

He added that these sectors also provide more productive and remunerative employment opportunities. 

The pact comes as Singapore is a leader in aviation services including maintenance, repair, overhaul services as well as skill development across various sectors. It is one of the many collaborations between India and Singapore in the crucial skill development sector following the signing of two MoUs between NSDC and Singapore Polytechnic to establish state-of-the-art Trainer and Assessor Academies across India. 

For instance, there are several institutional engagements including plans for setting up the first Indian Institute of Skills in Mumbai in collaboration with Singapore's Institute of Technical Education Services (ITEES); training programmes for state government officials in public administration and governance; urban planning, logistics and infrastructure development in collaboration with Singapore-based institutions, such as Institute of Technical Education, Singapore Cooperation Enterprise and Civil College.

As skill development gains more and more prominence in these fast changing times, bilateral engagement with many countries looks to become a norm as nations leverage each other’s strengths to develop the workforce of the future.