Bengaluru, 10August 2026: ACC, the cement and building materials company of the diversified Adani Portfolio, along with the Adani Foundation, through its Adani Skill Development Centre (ASDC) at ACC Thondebhavi, is helping young people in Karnataka find careers that do not require them to choose between earning a living and being present for their families.

Santhosha had done everything right. The young man from Chikkadalavatta village in Thondebhavi had completed his ITI, gathered work experience and shown the kind of initiative that should have made finding stable employment straightforward. But the right opportunity close to home kept not appearing. What was available was either too far away or too unstable. And for Santhosha, distance from family was not a tradeoff he wanted to make indefinitely.

When he enrolled in the Domestic Data Entry Operator course at the Adani Skill Development Centre, he was not starting from zero. He was filling in the gaps of digital fluency, the communication skills, the workplace readiness and the structured career guidance that his ITI had prepared him for technically but not professionally. The course gave him the full picture.

The placement support that followed was equally purposeful. Santhosha was matched with Musashi Auto Parts Pvt. Ltd. in Doddaballapura — close enough to home to matter, substantial enough as an employer to offer what he had been looking for. He joined as an operator and now earns Rs. 17,750 per month.

The salary is important. But for Santhosha, what the job represents goes beyond the payslip. It is stability, proximity to family and the end of a period of uncertainty that had stretched on longer than it should have for someone with his ability and his drive.

For Adani Foundation at ACC Thondebhavi, Santhosha’s story is a reminder that skill development is most powerful when it meets people where they already are — and helps them get to where they have always been capable of going.

The MoU signing marks an important step forward—particularly in formalising partnership between the Campus des Métiers et Qualifications (CMQ) of France and Directorate General of Training (DGT) of India. The agreement outlines a comprehensive framework to promote mutual cooperation in key sectors such as fashion, hospitality, tourism, arts and crafts, energy, aeronautics, and media. It envisions exchange of information, experience and expertise; joint efforts to develop curricula, and set up teacher and training of trainer courses, including those with a focus on the French language. The MoU also proposes the establishment of “Franco-Indian vocational campuses” that would connect Indian training centres with France’s vocational education ecosystem, potentially anchored by partnerships with French and Indian industries.

Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Hon’ble Minister of State (I/C), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Ministry of Education, Government of India, said, “This MoU with France marks a significant step towards building a truly global, future-ready workforce. By formalising our partnership, we are creating an institutional bridge for meaningful collaboration in vocational education. Our shared ambition is not just to exchange information and expertise, but to co-create opportunities that place skill, dignity, and innovation at the heart of national progress. Together, we are investing in the talent that will define tomorrow’s India and the world.”

H.E. Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to India, said, “Rooted in mutual respect and shared aspirations, this partnership in vocational education reflects the best of Indo-French collaboration. This MoU is more than a formal agreement—it is a commitment to empower youth, foster innovation, and promote social mobility. We aim to build pathways for a future-ready workforce, where skills become instruments of dignity, opportunity, and inclusive growth.”

The partnership will also promote internships and apprenticeships in both countries. Importantly, the agreement underlines inclusivity, with special focus on promoting women’s participation in all collaborative initiatives.

A Working Group co-chaired by MSDE and the French Embassy in New Delhi will oversee the implementation of the MoU. The group will coordinate activities, identify priority sectors and institutional partners, and facilitate exchange of knowledge and best practices.

The MoU brings together four key ministries from both nations—on the French side, the Ministry of National Education, Higher Education and Research; the Ministry of Labour, Health, Solidarity and the Family; and the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs; and on the Indian side, MSDE—reflecting a strong, inter-ministerial commitment to advancing skill development and vocational training through collaborative efforts.