Piyush Goyal's Visionary Skill Centre In Mumbai's Kandivali Becomes Model For Youth Empowerment

Mumbai: The Atal Bihari Vajpayee Kaushalya Vikas Kendra (ABVKVK) in Kandivali (E) has facilitated nearly 30,000 job placements and skilled over 11,500 youth through its Multi-Skills Training Institute (MSTI) and placement wing within one year of its launch. Inspired by the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to make India the Skill Capital of the World, the ABVKVK, a brain child of Piyush Goyal, Union Minister and Uttar Mumbai MP, has emerged as a model of excellence in skill development and job placement, empowering youth of Mumbai.

Established on 7th October 2024, under the guidance of Piyush Goyal, with the active cooperation of the Maharashtra Government led by CM Devendra Fadnavis and BMC, ABVKVK stands today as a shining example of a successful triple-engine governance model. It is driving progress through the combined efforts of the Central, State, and Local governments.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Piyush Goyal said

“ _Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Modi, NDA Government is empowering India’s youth with the skills, confidence, and opportunities they deserve. Skill development is the driving force of India’s growth story._

_Our goal is that no youth willing to work will be left unemployed — every individual should have access to skills that match the needs of a changing economy. ABVKVK at Kandivali has been carefully crafted to fulfil the needs of aspiring youth as also a centre that serves as a model for many more to come up in the country._

_More Centres have been planned, so that Uttar Mumbai becomes a hub of skilling, opportunities, progress and the youth are enabled to realise their potential for contributing to PM Modi’s goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047._

The centre has mobilised multiple industry partnerships with over 100 top notch companies for skilling as well as employment of the youth. The leading corporates such as Microsoft, HP, ITC Hotels, Bajaj Finserv, Infosys, Blue Star, Cosmos, and L’oreal have been on-boarded to deliver high-quality skilling in diverse and emerging sectors including Cybersecurity, IT/ITES, Hospitality, Financial Management, Gaming & Animation, Apparel & Textiles, Beauty & Wellness and White Goods.

Besides skilling the centre is also honing entrepreneurial potential by organizing training to nurture young entrepreneurs and promoting sustainable business practices among MSMEs. It also conducted seminars/sessions for elderly people to manage their finance / investment, besides conducting awareness workshops for women from Kandivali, creating awareness of the importance of life insurance and financial planning.

Sectoral Highlights:

Collaboration: With more than 100 companies in Mumbai & Thane offering internships under PM Internship Scheme. These collaborations expose trainees to actual industry environments, helping bridge the gap between academic learning and workplace needs, and significantly boosting their employability

Within its first year of operation, the centre has placed nearly 30,000 youth in jobs and trained 11,500 individuals in various skill-based and multidimensional courses.

IT/ITES (Infosys, Microsoft, MSME Upskilling):* nearly 8,000 trained and approx 7,000 got job placement across India as far. The curriculum is designed to focusing on digital literacy, software skills, and IT service fundamentals for entry-level roles.

AI Training Program (Microsoft and HP):* Over 500 participants trained in AI skills aimed at empowering MSMEs and job seekers with hands-on learning and industry-relevant knowledge.

Cybersecurity (DSCI) ABVKVK is pioneering India's first all-women cybersecurity batch in collaboration with DSCI. This targeted program empowers women with advanced digital protection skills, preparing them for high-demand cybersecurity roles where starting job offers exceed ₹5 lakh per annum.

BFSI (Bajaj Finserv): Achieved 100% placement — nearly 1,500 candidates employed in reputed financial institutions. The training focused on customer engagement, financial product management, and banking operations.

Entrepreneurship & Green Business: A dedicated Centre of Excellence on Entrepreneurship and Green Business has been established at ABVKVK, focusing on nurturing young entrepreneurs and promoting sustainable business practices among MSMEs.

Other Key Sectors: Additionally training in various sectors viz Beauty & Wellness (L’Oréal India), Apparel & Textiles, White Goods (Blue Star), Facility Management, and Gaming & Animation (Cosmos), Jubilant Foodworks, generated employment with several trainees already earning through self-employment and production activities.

Senior Citizen Outreach: Conducted an engaging investment awareness session for senior citizens, featuring interactive games and informative activities at the Centre’s seminar hall.

LIC Jeevan Bima Session: Successfully conducted for 450 women from Kandivali, creating awareness of the importance of life insurance and financial planning.

In line with PM Modi’s emphasis on inclusive growth, ABVKVK also offers English-speaking and computer literacy programs for youth from economically weaker sections. After participating in the Green Mumbai Summit 2025, the Kendra has also integrated sustainability-focused skill modules, preparing candidates for emerging opportunities in the green economy. Training and counselling for differently-abled persons was also conducted by the Centre.

Recently, CG Power and Industrial Solutions Ltd. initiated discussions for collaboration with ABVKVK, signaling deeper industry linkages and innovative training partnerships.

The creation of a world-class Skill Centre within just five months of Shri Piyush Goyal’s election as Lok Sabha MP, Uttar Mumbai stands as a testament to visionary planning, relentless effort, and strategic execution. Under his mentorship, the Centre has successfully engaged top-tier industry partners and leveraged the expertise of apex-level bodies and organizations, ensuring a rich ecosystem of resources and opportunities.

Today, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Kaushalya Vikas Kendra (ABVKVK) is setting new benchmarks in skill development and youth empowerment. With more such Centres in the pipeline offering training in cutting-edge-technology, Uttar Mumbai is envisioned to emerge as a skilling hub of India where youth from not only Uttar Mumbai but also from neighbouring areas as well as and rest of India could benefit.