Bengaluru, June 24: Just four months after the Green Skills & Applied AI for Climate Action Centre of Excellence (CoE) established by 1M1B in partnership with Microsoft and MeitY Startup Hub, with support from the Government of Karnataka that was inaugurated by Hon’ble Higher Education Minister Dr. M.C. Sudhakar in February 2026, the Centre took a significant step in translating skilling into livelihoods by hosting a Job Mela that connected over 350 young job seekers with leading employers. In a matter of months, the CoE has begun closing the gap between skills and employment, demonstrating how a major Applied AI skilling partnership is already delivering tangible outcomes.
Organised by 1M1B in partnership with Microsoft at the Bengaluru CoE on monday, the Job Mela reflects the rapid progress of the Centre in delivering on its core promise bridging the gap between future-ready Applied AI skills and meaningful careers. The drive brought together more than 10 leading employers across the technology, electronics, manufacturing, automotive, aerospace and engineering sectors, offering job openings spanning software development, AI-enabled roles, manufacturing, quality inspection, electronics, retail, telecom, BFSI and sales.
More than 100 candidates got selected who were from engineering, ITI, diploma, management and science backgrounds, receiving on-the-spot job offers. Other shortlisted candidates will now proceed to the next stages of recruitment for roles across Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
The Job Mela was inaugurated in the presence of leadership from Microsoft, 1M1B and S.K.S.J. Technological Institute (SKSJTI), Bengaluru, who interacted with participants and encouraged them to focus on building a career leveraging emerging opportunities in Applied AI and Green Skills.
The Green Skills & Applied AI for Climate Action CoE was inaugurated in February 2026 and made fully operational in record time. Within just four months, it has evolved into a vibrant hub where young people learn to apply Artificial Intelligence to solve real-world climate and sustainability challenges while building clear pathways towards employment and entrepreneurship.
The Bengaluru CoE is part of a larger national partnership between 1M1B and Microsoft that aims to establish five Centres of Excellence across India, engage 100,000 youth in Green Skills and Applied AI by 2030, and enable 50,000 employment, internship, apprenticeship and livelihood opportunities for young people nationwide. The Bengaluru CoE itself aims to facilitate thousands of employment opportunities over the coming months through industry partnerships, career-readiness programmes, innovation cohorts and regular employer engagement initiatives.
Why Applied AI Makes the Difference
Unlike conventional skilling centres, the CoE is built around Applied AI equipping young people not only to understand Artificial Intelligence but to use it to solve practical challenges across climate action, sustainability, manufacturing, energy and emerging industries. By integrating technical learning with employability, innovation and direct industry-connect, the CoE is shaping a future-ready workforce for India’s green economy.
Saffin Mathew, Vice President, 1M1B, said:
“When we inaugurated the Green Skills & Applied AI Centre of Excellence earlier this year, our commitment was clear to ensure that skilling translates into livelihoods. Today’s Job Mela demonstrates that the Centre is already delivering on that promise within just a few months of becoming operational. This is far more than a recruitment drive; it reflects our larger vision of building an ecosystem where Applied AI, Green Skills, industry partnerships and employability come together to create meaningful and sustainable career pathways for India’s youth. Through our partnership with Microsoft, we aim to enable 50,000 employment opportunities for young people across India.”
The Bengaluru Job Mela marks the first major employment milestone under the Green Skills & Applied AI Centre of Excellence and demonstrates how the partnership is translating vision into measurable outcomes. As the programme expands across India, 1M1B, Microsoft and MeitY Startup Hub will continue strengthening industry linkages, enabling employment opportunities, and building scalable models that connect Applied AI, Green Skills and livelihoods for India’s youth.