Mumbai: Around 98% of surveyed residents in the H-West ward do not hold formal skill certifications despite possessing skills and capabilities. With only about 2% of residents holding certifications, below the national average of 4.1%, the findings highlight the need to recognise and certify existing competencies rather than address a lack of capability.Additionally, at least 71% of the ward’s nearly 7,000 women homemakers have expressed willingness to enter paid employment, indicating a significant untapped workforce that could benefit from skill certification and employment support. Nine per cent of youth profiled and evaluated in the ward have shown interest in being self-employed with a focus on opportunities arising out of the gig economy.The findings of the first-of-its-kind AI-enabled hyperlocal Saksham Skill Census were unveiled by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday. Developed by the office of district collector Saurabh Katiyar and the District Skill Development Centre, the pilot surveyed 59,824 households across Bandra West, Santacruz West and Khar West, and profiled 45,000 candidates, to identify unrecognised talent and connect it directly with market demand.Women in the ward also showed a desire for skill development, with 52.9% expressing interest in training, compared with 54.1% of men. Moreover, 67.4% of women said they were keen to upskill.Along with the household survey, Saksham conducted a comprehensive employer survey involving 1,018 employers across banking and financial services, IT, healthcare, retail, hospitality, automotive and logistics. Based on the survey, 1,690 candidates have already been shortlisted for direct interviews and offer coordination, while 2,179 candidates have expressed active interest in employment opportunities.Residents were profiled and mapped to tailor-made livelihood pathways, enabling skilling interventions and employment opportunities aligned with their aspirations and capabilities.The process of connecting more than 5,800 unemployed youth with employment opportunities is also in the pipeline. The next phase of the initiative will focus on organising weekly ward-level job fairs.
