Generation India Foundation (GIF), Gurgaon, a non-profit organization founded by McKinsey & Company and the Uttar Pradesh Skill Development Mission (UPSDM) have entered into a strategic collaboration aimed at significantly enhancing employment and retention outcomes for youth trained under the state’s skilling ecosystem. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was formally signed at the Uttar Pradesh CSR Roundtable on Skilling & Employability held in Lucknow, in the presence of senior government officials, corporate leaders, and development sector partners on Dec 12.
The collaboration facilitated through Invest UP CSR Facilitation Cell reinforces Uttar Pradesh’s commitment to building a future-ready workforce and aligns with India’s broader vision of accelerating youth employability, strengthening industry-aligned skilling, and fostering sustainable livelihoods.
Under this partnership, Generation’s globally recognised, data-driven training methodology will be embedded into select short-term training (STT) programs delivered by UPSDM’s training partners. The initiative focuses on improving both placement rates and on-the-job retention, particularly across high-demand entry-level roles in the services and technology sectors.
A key highlight of the collaboration is the adoption of a Blended Finance Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Model, enabling scale and quality simultaneously. Over the next three years— the partnership aims to train and certify 25,000 youth across Uttar Pradesh.
Speaking on the partnership, Arunesh Singh, CEO, Generation India Foundation, said, “By combining UPSDM’s strong institutional framework with Generation’s proven methodology, we aim to enable thousands of young people to not only secure jobs but also build lasting careers. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to quality, employability, and creating pathways for sustained livelihood success.”
Pulkit Khare, IAS, Mission Director, UPSDM, Government of Uttar Pradesh, said: “Our mission has always been to equip the youth of Uttar Pradesh with skills that translate into meaningful employment. Partnering with Generation India Foundation allows us to strengthen the quality and effectiveness of our training programs. With this collaboration, we expect to see a significant improvement in placement and retention outcomes, contributing to the state’s economic growth and workforce readiness.”
