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Tech4All

About the Partnership

The adoption of Industry 4.0 by Indian industries is beginning to reshape employability requirements across various sectors. Disruptive technologies such as Automation and Artificial Intelligence may replace certain low-skilled roles, but they also create far greater opportunities for those who are prepared. In this new landscape, the ability to work with data and make data-driven decisions will be a critical skill for the jobs of the future. Employees must upskill or reskill, while fresh graduates are expected to be equipped with expertise in emerging technology if they wish to pursue rewarding careers.

To ensure that women students are active participants in this transformation, dedicated initiatives must be implemented to provide them with access to training in emerging technologies, mentorship, and career readiness programs. By equipping women with future-ready skills, such initiatives not only strengthen their employability but also foster greater diversity and inclusion in the workforce of the future.

About Tech4All Journey....

  • In 2022, ICT Academy, in association with Cognizant Foundation, organised the Tech4All program to train 5,000 women students in advanced IT skills by establishing 50 Centres of Excellence for Women Empowerment (CWE) across engineering, arts, and science colleges in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, and Kerala.

  • The program was part of Cognizant Foundation's Tech4All initiative, which was anchored on the principles of inclusion and technology as an enabler. Through this flagship initiative, they envisioned and implemented an impactful program for women by leveraging collective expertise and multi-stakeholder collaboration to empower them with relevant skill sets for successful careers in IT.

Impact of Tech4All

5,010 women students trained in advanced IT skills through 50 Centres of Excellence for Women Empowerment across Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala, and Karnataka.
Comprehensive training program with 120 hours (100 hours technical + 20 hours soft skills) covering AI, Data Analytics, RPA, Cloud, Networking, and CRM.
Focused on inclusivity, benefiting first-generation graduates, economically disadvantaged students, single-parent dependents, and physically challenged women.
3,009 women were placed in leading companies like Accenture, Renault Nissan, Genpact, and Sutherland, with salaries ranging from ₹24,000 to ₹83,000 per month.
Over 5000 students have been immensely impacted and empowered through multiple Cognizant Outreach initiatives like Leadership Talk Series, Gen AI Workshops, Career Readiness Workshop, CSO Connect, Hackathon, etc.
Transformative impact — enhanced employability, boosted confidence, and industry-recognised certifications, driving women’s empowerment in technology careers.

Tech4All Journey Continues...

In continuation of their impactful partnership, Cognizant Foundation and ICT Academy have launched the renewed Tech4All program, a three-year initiative aimed at empowering 8,000 women students with advanced IT skills. By establishing 50 Centres of Excellence for Women Empowerment across Andhra Pradesh, Delhi NCR, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal, the program will deliver industry-aligned training, mentorship, and placement support—preparing women for successful technology careers and fostering greater inclusion in the workforce of the future.

Tech4All

Features

120 Hours of Training (100 Hrs Technical skills + 20 Hrs Professional skills)
Establishing a Centre of Excellence for Women Empowerment (CWE) in each participating institution
Empowering 8000 women students and 160 women faculty members on Industry 4.0 skills
Volunteering Sessions
Women Tech Summit
Hackathon
Joint Certification by Cognizant Foundation & ICT Academy
Placement facilitation for the certified students

Tech4All (2025-2028) The 3-Year Vision

Year 1 (2025–26): Establish 15 Centres of Excellence for Women (CWE) and train 1,500 women students in advanced IT skills.

Year 2 (2026–27): Expand to 26 CWEs, Training 3,150 women students with an industry-aligned curriculum.

Year 3 (2027–28): Achieve the full impact with 50 Centres of Excellence, empowering a total of 8000 women students and fostering a sustainable network of 160 trained mentors.

ICT Academy
Sathi Chaitanya Sai Durga

Pragati Engineering College, Surampalem. Andhra Pradesh, B.Tech -CSE, Certificate Course on Cloud

Empowering Women Through Technology: Student Testimonial (2025–2026)

I am Sathi Chaitanya Sai Durga, a B. Tech (CSE) student from Pragati Engineering College, Surampalem, Andhra Pradesh. Coming from a small farming family, where our annual income depends on uncertain rainfall, pursuing higher education was never easy. As the first graduate in my family, I always carried the responsibility of creating a better future for us. Joining the Certificate Course on Cloud under the Tech4All initiative by ICT Academy, in partnership with Cognizant Foundation, was a turning point in my life. The training gave me hands-on experience with AWS services like EC2, S3, RDS, DynamoDB, and VPC. For the first time, I was able to understand how real-world cloud systems work and gained the confidence to apply my knowledge practically. The program was not just about technical learning. The soft skills sessions helped me improve my communication, presentation, and interview skills. Activities like mock interviews, group discussions, and resume building made me more confident and job-ready. With the support and guidance I received, I was able to secure a placement at HCLTech with a CTC of ₹4.5 LPA. This achievement means a lot to my family and me, as it brings financial stability and hope for a better future. I sincerely thank Cognizant Foundation and ICT Academy for giving students like me this opportunity. Tech4All has truly transformed my confidence, skills, and career path.



Tech4All

Activities of CWE

Training final year women students from Higher Education Institutions

Women students enrolled from each institution will be trained in a specific advanced technology course

Creating Faculty Mentors

Select faculty members from each institution will be trained in the advanced technology and recognised as mentors for the students

Branding for the Centre of Excellence for Women Empowerment

Each participating institution will establish a branded Centre of Excellence for Women Empowerment (CWE), serving as a hub for continuous learning and innovation.

Industry-Endorsed Curriculum & Course Materials for Trainees

All training courses will follow a carefully curated curriculum, ensuring alignment with emerging technologies and job market demands.

Joint Certification by Cognizant Foundation India and ICT Academy

Upon successful completion, participants will receive a joint certification from Cognizant Foundation India and ICT Academy, enhancing their professional credibility and employability.

Women Technology Summit

The initiative will culminate in an exclusive Women Technology Summit, bringing together learners, mentors, and industry leaders to share perspectives and provide guidance.

Hackathon

A student hackathon will be organised to encourage innovation, teamwork, and problem-solving, enabling women students to apply their technical knowledge in real-world challenges.

Tech4All

Courses

Students will be trained in any one of the following courses, along with mandatory soft skills training.

ICT Academy

Artificial Intelligence

ICT Academy

Data Analytics

ICT Academy

Cloud Practitioner

ICT Academy

Cybersecurity

ICT Academy

Java Backend Developer

ICT Academy

Python Web Developer

ICT Academy

Test Engineer

ICT Academy

UI Developer

Tech4All

Selection Criteria

Preference to final-year women UG students from underprivileged communities in the specified location, pursuing engineering, arts, or science, who fulfil at least one of the following criteria:
Students whose family income is below 3.5 lakh per annum
Students with single parents
Student supported by a guardian
Physically challenged students
First-generation graduates

Tech4All

Expression of Interest for Institutional Partnership

Engineering, arts & science colleges located in Andhra Pradesh, Delhi NCR, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal, which are educating women students, can partner in this initiative. This program will be a fully sponsored program, implemented by ICT Academy under the CSR initiative of Cognizant Foundation. For enquiries, write to [email protected]

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Tech4All

About Cognizant Foundation India

Cognizant Foundation India is one of the channels of Cognizant’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives in India. Cognizant Foundation India is working to build a sustainable ecosystem at the intersection of inclusion, technology, and collaboration. The Foundation’s initiatives are along the two thematic areas of ‘Health4All’ – enhancing accessibility to quality healthcare and ‘Future4All’ – creating a better tomorrow through education and skilling.

Cognizant Foundation focuses on empowering persons with disabilities, promoting holistic child development, and fostering gender equality. Since its inception in 2005, the Foundation has implemented over 600+ projects in education, healthcare, and skilling in partnership with several non-profit organizations, positively impacting the lives of millions across India.

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Tech4All

About ICT Academy

ICT Academy is an initiative of the Government of India in collaboration with the state Governments and Industries. ICT Academy is a not-for-profit society, the first of its kind, a pioneer venture under the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model that endeavours to train higher education teachers and students, thereby developing the next-generation teachers and industry-ready students.

The ICT Academy was started to meet the skill requirements of the industry and generate more employment, especially in tier 2 and 3 towns, and the rural parts of the country. The organisation was formed with representations from the State Government of Tamil Nadu, leading companies in the ICT industry and the National Association of Software Services Companies (NASSCOM) in India.

Through its various initiatives, ICT Academy has been part of strengthening India's four important visions on Skill India, Digital India, Startup India, and Make in India.

For more information, please visit www.ictacademy.in

Contact Us

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Module No E6 -03, 6th floor Block - E
IIT Madras Research Park
Kanagam Road, Taramani,
Chennai 600 113
Tamil Nadu, India