11, Sep 2024
Minister Priyank Kharge Invites Kongsberg Digital to Utilize Nipuna Program for Industry-Specific Skill Development
Bangalore, September 11: IT & BT Minister Priyank Kharge reaffirmed Karnataka’s commitment to industry-specific skill development through the recently launched *Nipuna Program* during a meeting with a delegation from Kongsberg Digital, led by President and CEO Shane McArdle, and Deepak, Managing Director of Kongsberg Digital India, at Vidhana Soudha today.
Under the leadership of Minister Kharge, the Nipuna Program aims to equip youth with precise skill sets tailored to industry needs, particularly in sectors like artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing. “This is not a generic training program. Nipuna is designed to address specific industry requirements, and we are ready to collaborate with companies like Kongsberg Digital to meet their workforce demands,” the Minister stated. He further emphasized the state’s openness to partnering with Norway on innovation and talent development, leveraging Karnataka’s highly skilled workforce to meet global standards.
Kongsberg Digital, a Norwegian company at the forefront of industrial data and technology, is shaping the future of work by making industrial data more accessible and meaningful through AI. The company has invested $10 million in Bangalore and intends to expand further by tapping into local talent and contributing to a more sustainable, inclusive Industry 5.0 ecosystem.
Deepak Kumar Swain, Managing Director of Kongsberg Digital India, expressed his excitement about the potential collaborations with the Government of Karnataka. “Our vision at Kongsberg Digital India is to build a highly skilled AI-driven workforce that can contribute to a more sustainable industrial ecosystem. The Nipuna Program offers a unique opportunity for us to access the talent required to achieve our ambitions,” said Deepak. He also emphasized the company’s commitment to supporting Karnataka’s startup ecosystem and driving innovation through partnerships with incubators and skill development programs.
Shane McArdle, President and CEO of Kongsberg Digital, echoed this sentiment, stating, “Bangalore has already proven to be a crucial part of our global operations, and we are eager to invest further in the local talent pool. Our ambition is to build an *Industrial Work Surface* powered by AI that transforms industries for the better, and we believe Karnataka is the perfect place to grow this vision.”
Kongsberg Digital also discussed its ambition to support Karnataka’s startup ecosystem by investing in incubators and exploring further collaborations with the government. McArdle highlighted the potential to bring more Norwegian companies to Karnataka, driving innovation through cross-border partnerships.
The meeting was attended by IT & BT Department Secretary Dr. Ekroop Kaur and other senior officials.
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- By Rabindra
6, Dec 2023
K-tech center of excellence on Machine Intelligence & Robotics at IIIT-B Launches K-VLSI Skilling Program
Bangalore December 6, 2023: Shri Priyank Kharge, Honorable IT & BT Minister, Karnataka Government launched the K-VLSI program at the Bangalore tech summit.
Dr.Ekroop Caur, IAS, IT, BT & ST Secretary to Karnataka Government, Shri. Darshan H.V IAS, Managing Director, Smt. Champa E, General Manager, from the Department of Electronics Information Technology Biotechnology and Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka, Prof. Debabrata Das, Director, IIIT-Bangalore along with the team of faculty members were present at the occasion.
Electronics System Design and Manufacturing is a growth sector for Karnataka. The availability of skilled resources is a critical impediment to the growth of this sector. A specialized VLSI skilling program to develop a talent pool that can be First Day First Hour ready to be employed is much needed for the industry. After much deliberations with all the stakeholders from industry bodies like IESA, SFAL, industry veterans, and KDEM, IIIT-B has designed a program that is a combination of academic rigour and application focus.
Structure & Duration of the Program:
K-VLSI is an Advanced Certificate Program in VLSI design for 6 months with a focus on theoretical and practical knowledge with extensive exposure to industry-relevant projects and 3 3-month internships with the Industry. The theoretical input will be full-time classroom sessions by IIIT-B faculty and the practical knowledge with hands-on tools will be delivered by IIIT-B’s training partner Futurewiz. Some of the important elements of VLSI including System design, system verification, and embedded systems will be covered in the course. Engineering graduates in electrical, electronics, and computer science disciplines are eligible to apply.
Prof. Madhav Rao, IIIT-Bangalore who is spearheading the course says, “We felt the need to start this programme as there is a dearth of manpower in semiconductor companies. Through this course, we aim to make students semi-conductor designing industry ready.”
