– Certification to help increase employability and bridge skills divide –
– Create online entrepreneurs to tap the growing opportunity –
New Delhi, November12, 2014: The ecommerce industry is estimated to touch USD 76 billion by 20211 and the demand for employees is pegged at 1.4 million by 20212. However, only 27 per cent of the fresh graduates will be employable by 20203.
In an attempt to increase employability, bridge the skills divide and create opportunities for entrepreneurs to tap into the growing ecommerce market, eBay India (www.ebay.in) and global talent development corporation, NIIT (www.niit.com) today announced an industry first ecommerce certification programme: ePro.
The ePro certification program has been built with an aim to create a sustainable & scalable skills framework via Public & Private Partnerships to increase employability.
Mr. Latif Nathani, Managing Director, eBay India said, “eBay India has enabled businesses for over 50,000 merchants of all sizes and it has been our constant endeavor to expand the seller base. However,the widening skill gap would become an impediment to the growth of the ecommerce industry. The ePro certification will not only build an employable workforce, but will also aid Government’s endeavor to skill 500 million4 people by 2022,who can contribute towards the’Make in India’ campaign.”
“According to the eBay India Online Business Index, the online domestic entrepreneurs employ an average of 4.8 full time staff & 1.6 part time staff. This is projected to increase to 5.2 full time staff & 2.1 part time staff. The ePro certification will help to bridge this gap as well,” added Mr. Nathani
Mr. Shivan Bhargava, Group President – Skills and Careers Group, NIIT Ltd., said, “At NIIT we have always believed in offering programs customized to the evolving needs of the industry. With the changing face of retail, where online platforms are gaining popularity among consumers, we perceive immense opportunity in the ecommerce space. Hence we have joined hands with eBay India to empower local entrepreneurs with global aspirations, by bringing them at par with the international standards.”
The ePro certification program will address the skills gaps of the people, enabling a vast system of qualified resources that are not only employable in the overall offline/online retail industry but will also enable them to look for opportunities in sales, operations, merchandise, payments and logistics role.
The program will cover topics like Introduction to eCommerce, Marketplaces & eBay, Process of Selling, Inventory Management, Customer Service, Marketing and all such aspects that will enable merchants to sell online.
About eBay India
eBay India (www.ebay.in) is a leading online marketplace and shopping destination in India where thousands of Indian entrepreneurs list wide range of products across Electronics, Lifestyle, Collectibles and Media categories. eBay India is a 100% subsidiary of eBay Inc.
About NIIT
Global Talent Development Corporation, NIIT Limited, (www.niit.com) offers Multi-disciplinary Learning management and Training delivery solutions to Corporations, Institutions, and Individuals in over 40 countries.
NIIT’s training solutions in Banking, Finance & Insurance, Executive Management Education, Multi-sectoral Vocational Skills, Digital Media Marketing, and new-age IT has impacted over 35 million learners, since its inception in 1981.
NIIT’s Corporate Learning Group (CLG), the largest contributor to NIIT’s overall business, offers market-leading Managed Training Services (MTS) to Fortune 500 companies and global corporations headquartered in the US, EU, India and other select markets. NIIT’s Skills and Careers Group (SCG) delivers a vast range of programs through a hybrid combination of the ‘Cloud Campus’ online platform, satellite-based ‘Synchronous Learning Technology’, and a physical network of hundreds of learning centers in India, China, and select markets in Asia & Africa. NIIT’s School Learning Group (SLG) has provided computer-based learning to over 15,000 Government and private schools.
In recognition of its people-centric policies, which foster an environment of growth and career development, NIIT has been ranked as the 4th Best Company to work for in India 2013-14, by Great Place to Work Institute®.