SWADES: Skill Mapping Exercise for Returning Citizens
Recently, the Government has launched an initiative ‘SWADES – Skilled Workers Arrival Database for Employment Support’.
The initiative, undertaken as part of the Vande Bharat Mission, aims at empowering the returning citizens with relevant employment opportunities.
Vande Bharat Mission is an evacuation exercise to bring back Indian citizens stranded abroad amidst the coronavirus-induced travel restrictions.
It is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Ministry of External Affairs.
The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) is supporting the implementation of the project.
It aims to create a database of qualified citizens based on their skill sets and experience to tap into and fulfil demand of Indian and foreign companies.
The collected information will be shared with the companies for suitable placement opportunities in the country.
The returning citizens are required to fill up an online SWADES Skills Card.
It will facilitate a strategic framework to provide the returning citizens with suitable employment opportunities through discussions with key stakeholders including State Governments, Industry Associations and Employers.
National Skill Development Corporation
NSDC is a not-for-profit public limited company incorporated under section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956 (corresponding to section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013).
It was set up by the Ministry of Finance as a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
The Government of India through the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) holds 49% of the share capital of NSDC, while the private sector has the balance 51% of the share capital.
It aims to promote skill development by catalyzing creation of large, quality and for-profit vocational institutions.
