The state government on Thursday opened an industry linkage cell (ILC) to build on the industry-government collaboration and facilitate improved job opportunities for skilled youth.

The ILC aims to improve the overall quality and relevance of the skill ecosystem, State’s IT/BT & Skill Development Minister CN Ashwath Narayan said at the Industry Connect Conclave, here, during which he launched the initiative. The Cell, he said, would further strengthen the skill ecosystem in the state and strengthen the bonding with industries.

These industry linkages provide demand-driven industry-relevant training opportunities. Karnataka Skill Development Corporation (KSDC) would work with industries with an aim to bridging the skill gap and provide demand-based skilled manpower to industries which would, in turn, add new jobs, the minister said.

Under the “Make in India” initiative, there is a tremendous growth potential in the electronic manufacturing sector. This would lead to huge job opportunities in the country, and the Linkage Cell would work to meet the needs for the skilled manpower in the sector, Narayan said.

“At the state level, the linkage cell will facilitate to oversee and monitor the industry linkage activities of 31 districts, manage state-level interventions and undertake the end-to-end design and development of the industry-connect workflow,” the minister said.

Skill Development Department Secretary S Selvakumar said the main purpose of the Cell is to develop and implement skill training programmes based on the emerging trends and in multi-skills. The Cell would also do skill gap analysis and implement modular employable skilled short term training programmes, among others.

Skill Development Corporation MD Ashwin D Gowda said industries looking for youth with specific skills could contact his office near Dairy Circle in Bengaluru.