SkillEd

SkillEd is an initiative designed to bridge the persistent gap between India’s youth and the evolving job market by promoting education and skill training that remains affordable for students.According to UNICEF, India has the world’s largest youth population, with 371 million people in the 15–29 age group, yet a very small proportion of them possess the skills that industries actually demand. This mismatch between qualifications and employability has pushed millions of young adults especially those aged 18– 45 who are outside the formal education system into low paying, informal sector jobs.SkillEd emerges as a direct response to this structural gap. The initiative recognises that conventional academic degrees alone do not equip adults to contribute effectively to their families, communities or the larger economy. Across India thousands of training institutions have mushroomed in recent years, many collecting disproportionate fees without guaranteeing job readiness. While the need for skill development is evident, the high cost of private training centres and the uneven quality of programs have made meaningful skilling inaccessible for most low and middle income families. With India’s skill sector projected to grow exponentially, the financial burden on households is only expected to rise unless affordable alternatives are created. The situation is even more challenging for women and rural adults who face additional barriers related to affordability, mobility, and social expectations.

SkillEd aims to change this by offering high-impact, lowcost, and accessible skill-development opportunities. By designing introductory modules across diverse sectors to explore different areas of study and specialisation before making independent decisions about their career pathways. Starting with essential soft skills and foundational competencies, SkillEd gradually expands into more specialised technical and employability-focused modules. This integrated approach, which also embeds STEM literacy, digital fluency, and entrepreneurship awareness. We want to ensure that adults are not merely trained but empowered to thrive in emerging job markets.