Dy CM Manish Sisodia inaugurates first DSEU Lighthouse at Kalkaji, three more to be set up in Patparganj, Matia Mahal, and Maklaganj
World-class skilling and livelihood centers for youth from underserved communities; DSEU Lighthouses will equip youth to make informed life and career choices- Dy CM Manish Sisodia
For the first time in the history of the country, children will not go to the university, but the university itself will come and give admission to them- Dy CM Manish Sisodia
DSEU Lighthouse is a big step in the direction of solving the problem of unemployment, will prepare the youth for jobs by upskilling them – Dy CM Manish Sisodia
DSEU Lighthouse will spread the light of education among youth of Kalkaji and Delhi, will open new avenues for employment: Atishi
Kejriwal Government ties up with Lighthouse Communities Foundation and Michael & Susan Dell Foundation to set up DSEU Lighthouses in Delhi
NEW DELHI:
Kejriwal Government launched ‘DSEU Lighthouse Centres’ to skill up youth in slum clusters across Delhi today. Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister Shri Manish Sisodia inaugurated the first DSEU Lighthouse at Kalkaji on Wednesday, along with the community members. While inaugurating the Kalkaji Lighthouse, the Deputy Chief Minister said, “This Lighthouse will offer high quality short term vocational skilling courses as well as a plethora of employment opportunities for youth between 18-30 years of age. Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University (DSEU) is the first one in the country, which has taken such a unique step to equip youth of underserved communities with the new age skills at a University level center in the slum clusters itself.”
Shri Sisodia said that in the unprecedented times of COVID, crores of people have lost their jobs across the country. Keeping in view the need for jobs in Delhi, the Delhi Government has started Lighthouse in association with experts from Lighthouse Communities Foundation and Michael & Susan Dell Foundation to provide world-class skills, professional development and job oriented skills training to the youth of Delhi. He said that even after graduating today, youth struggle for jobs, but after pursuing skill-based courses here, the company itself will come and give jobs to the youth.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that today, when children go to college after passing out from Class 12th, they struggle to get admission, but the Delhi Government has made such a unique program where Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University (DSEU) will go to the slums and give admission to the children there. This will be the first time in the history of the country when children will not go to the university to take admission, but the university itself will go to the children and give them admission.
He said that all this has been possible only because of the power of people’s vote. People used their vote properly and gave Shri Arvind Kejriwal the power to work as the Chief Minister, then Delhi’s schools have become brilliant, people’s electricity and water bills are coming zero, and health facilities have become hassle free. He said that people should again show the power of their vote in the MCD elections so that the mess spread in Delhi can be cleared.
Adding to the words of Deputy Chief Minister, Kalkaji MLA Ms Atishi said, “It is the vision of Chief Minister Shri Arvind Kejriwal that every child of Delhi gets a good education and then a good job. My community members at Kalkaji had been requesting me to do something to get jobs for the youth of the Kalkaji area. So the government decided to get the first DSEU Lighthouse here, to end all their woes about their children’s future. This Lighthouse will spread the light of education among youth of Kalkaji and Delhi, will open new avenues for employment”.
How ‘Lighthouse’ program will be a partner in the up-skilling of youth
-> With the help of ‘Lighthouse’, DSEU will provide high-quality short-term vocational courses as well as a lot of employment opportunities to the youth.
-> In this program, emphasis will be given on developing life skills in the students, career and life related guidance will be given to the students through foundation courses based on self-transformation and opportunities for industry exposure will also be given.
-> The foundation courses for youth will be based on an art-based curriculum with creative activities to develop workplace competencies and mindfulness among students.
-> Spoken English and digital literacy will be an important part of this foundational skilling programme.
-> Here students will be offered various short and long term courses related to administration, financial accounting and tally, nursing, fitness trainer, IT etc. All these courses will be certified by DSEU.
-> 600 youth from underserved communities in the vicinity of Lighthouse will be trained at these centers every year.
DSEU Lighthouse at Kalkaji aims to upskill over 1200 youths from nearby slum clusters in next 2 years
The DSEU Lighthouse at Kalkaji comprises 4 training rooms, a counseling room, a video-conferencing room, one self-learning space, and a fully-equipped tech hub with wi-fi connection and laptops. Every year, upwards of 600 youth from low-income communities around the vicinity of Kalkaji will be equipped with life skills and technical training and have access to livelihood opportunities.
Speaking at the occasion, Prof. (Dr.) Neharika Vohra, Vice Chancellor, DSEU said, “We at the University have eagerly awaited this day. Being an advocate for skilling up the youth of Delhi, this project will help us reach out to underprivileged communities, by bringing the learning spaces close to their homes. DSEU Lighthouse will offer short-term certificate courses in various domains for youth.”
She further added, youth enrolling at these short-term courses will receive certification and placement opportunities from the DSEU Lighthouse. We will be working closely with industry and training partners in creating a relevant and extensive course curriculum for the youth of the communities, which will equip them with employable skills.”
Rahil Rangwala, Program Director, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation said, “This is a multi-year partnership that aims to enable sustainable livelihood for youth across Delhi. Our effort is to build a strong livelihood ecosystem in Delhi and setting up multiple Lighthouses is a significant effort towards this end.”
Dr. Ganesh Natarajan, Chairman, Lighthouse Communities said, “New Delhi is the logical beginning of a new phase of expansion for Lighthouse Communities. We are committed to changing the lives of a million of our fellow citizens by 2030 and the capital partnership with DSEU and Michael and Susan Dell Foundation will be the wind beneath our wings as we fly to new destinations.”
Lighthouse Communities Foundation is on a mission to build empowered communities through life skills, employment, and entrepreneurship opportunities for a million disadvantaged youth across India. The organization has been working with state governments to provide skill training to youth from underserved communities since 2015. Whereas, Texas based Michael and Susan Dell Foundation (MSDF) is dedicated to improving the lives of children living in urban poverty across the world. It funds the programs that foster high-quality public education, childhood wellness and improve the economic stability of families living in poverty.
Notably, Kalkaji MLA Ms Atishi, Amritsar Mayor Karamjit Singh Rintu, Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University Vice Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) Neharika Vohra, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation Program Director Rahil Rangwala, Lighthouse Communities CEO Ruchi Mathur and Director Ganesh Natrajan were present along with other dignitaries at the inauguration.