New partnership brings AI and soft skills training to rural students in Telangana

Hyderabad: Citizens Financial Group’s Global Capability Centre (GCC) in Hyderabad has partnered with Cognizant to strengthen employability programs for college students in underserved communities across Telangana. The collaboration will be executed through Cognizant’s flagship Outreach program, which focuses on education and digital inclusion.

Launched in Hyderabad in 2019, Outreach has already benefited more than 4,000 students in Telangana, with 478 securing technology jobs at Cognizant—92 per cent of them women. Nationwide, the initiative has impacted 60,000 students through partnerships with over 100 colleges and nonprofits.

Under the partnership, Citizens’ GCC associates will volunteer weekly to deliver a structured five-step employability training program. The sessions will cover generative AI, communication and soft skills, life skills, and readiness for the AMCAT employability test, specifically targeting students from rural and tribal areas.

“Our Hyderabad GCC is designed as a hub for innovation and collaboration, and partnering with Cognizant’s Outreach program allows us to extend that purpose into communities,” said Michael Ruttledge, Chief Information Officer and Head of Enterprise Technology & Security, Citizens Financial Group. “This marks the beginning of our volunteering journey in India, and we are proud that our associates will help students unlock opportunities in technology. ”Surya Gummadi, President – Americas at Cognizant, said the partnership aligns with Cognizant’s mission to create inclusive growth.