Microsoft & SBI Foundation partner to create job opportunities for disabled youth

Microsoft India and SBI Foundation have announced plans to collaborate to create job opportunities for disabled youth in the Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) sector. This is a three-year programme and in the first year, 500 youth with disabilities will be trained.

Microsoft India and SBI Foundation have come together to equip disabled youth in India with the technology and training needed to prepare them for integration into the Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) workforce.

This is a three-year programme under which both organisations will develop an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered marketplace that is aimed at helping the BFSI sector to connect people with disabilities for up-skilling and employment.

Focusing on accessibility, diversity and inclusion is central to delivering on our mission of empowering every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. With over 26 million people living with disabilities in India, it’s essential that we find new ways to use technology to enable everyone to fully participate in the 21st century economy. By partnering with SBI Foundation, we have an amazing opportunity to benefit both people living with disabilities and the BSFI sector. – Jean-Philippe Courtois, Executive Vice President and President, Microsoft Global Sales, Marketing and Operations

In its first year, the programme seeks to upskill 500 disabled youth for jobs in the BFSI sector across the cities of Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and the National Capital Region. The programme will be done in partnership with various government organisations, industry skilling bodies and NGOs. The goal is to build a sustainable programme empowers disabled youths with the jobs skills they need and advance cross-industry advocacy efforts to drive inclusion.

“SBI has always striven for inclusion and empowerment of people with disabilities in the banking sector”, said Rajnish Kumar, Chairman, State Bank of India. “We are also helping our peer banks to do so. Our collaboration with Microsoft will help us leverage technology and our experience in training employees with disabilities will open more avenues for employment and engagement of people with disabilities not only in the banking sector, but the entire BFSI sector.”

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