Taking advantage of the considerable strength of younger generation in India, the aging world and requirement of skilled labour both in India and abroad, CII registered a Skills Development Trust with a Skills Development Fund and also created an over arching CII Skills and Knowledge Mission, to guide the functioning of its Skills Development Initiative.

Objectives of the Skills Development Trust

 
The main Objectives of the Trust are to empower youth to find income earning opportunities with high productivity.

• To generate conditions for social inclusiveness and provide the socially and economically vulnerable population a chance to be part of the mainstream economy.
• Train a "multi-collar task force - white, grey, blue and rust" with a view to make "India - the Skills Capital of the World".
• To partner with leading training and awarding bodies and institutions nationally and globally.
• To provide skills those connect directly to work efficiency and address the skills gap and unemployment resulting there from.
• To help industry deliver internationally competitive performance by having access to locally available, internationally benchmarked skilled manpower trained in line with their requirements.
• To impart skills through training across sectors based on sustainable framework with consistency.
• To involve the private sector in skills development through partnership in the Trust''s projects.
• To provide for re-skilling within the industry to retain competitive edge as a part of VRS package.
• To provide leadership and guidance in Affirmative Action Initiative of the Industry.
• To take on lease the Industrial Training Institutions and provide to its trainees all techniques and standards of skill development that are marketable globally.

Activities of the Trust

Towards the above objectives, the following activities are being pursued by the Trust:

• Prepare papers, reports on issues relating to skills development in Indian industry, agriculture, technology, commerce; suggest reforms required to improve skills development.
• Facilitate dialogues through lectures, meetings, conferences, seminars involving industrial and professional bodies, government and semi-government sectors, corporate bodies on issues of skills development.
• Provide information and data generated from research to legislators, policy makers in the government and professional bodies so as to influence government policies, which impact on skills development.
• Print, publish and produce any papers, periodicals, newspapers, books, films, audio or video or multimedia to make known the objectives and achievements of the Trust.
• Organise seminars, conferences, workshops, courses, studies, training programmes, exhibitions at such places and at such times as may be required to promote the objects of the Trust.
• Participate in national and international events and programmes, award prizes, grants, scholarships and stipends in furtherance of the objects of the Trust.
• Solicit and receive funds and accept contributions or donations in cash or kind, securities, properties (movable or immovable) or services from individuals, government, corporations, firms, individuals, associations both at the national and international levels for pursuing the objectives of the Trust.
• Apply for and obtain all approvals, concessions, permissions, exemptions and other benefits from government or other authorities under applicable laws to beneficially conduct the activities of the Trust.
• Acquire, receive and hold property and assets through purchase or lease or in exchange or by way of gift or otherwise any movable or immovable property / properties and to sell, mortgage, lease, exchange or otherwise transfer or dispose off, deal with all or any property of the Trust for the purposes of the Trust and not as a business.
• Promote relationships with organisations and institutions with similar objectives for mutual exchange of ideas and experiences for mutual good and assistance.
• Undertake projects and programmes in close collaboration with other private, government or semi-government bodies or persons for promoting or supporting the activities of the Trust.
• Generally to do all other lawful acts, deeds or things as may be conducive or incidental to the attainment of the any of the above objectives and for furthering the growth of the Trust or its resources.