AICTE Launches Green Internships with 1M1B and Salesforce

The AICTE (the All India Council for Technical Education) in partnership with 1M1B Green Skills Academy and with the support of Salesforce, the global leader in CRM, has announced green internships for all the AICTE affiliated colleges and universities. By the end of 2030, the 1M1B Green Internship program will give internship opportunities to 100,000 students. 10,000 internships will be given in the first year. The program was launched at the AICTE Headquarters in New Delhi.

1M1B Green Skills Academy aims at nurturing climate talent by leveraging AI. Under the Green Internship program, the onboarded interns will work on transforming the educational institutes into green campuses as a part of their live project and align the goals with the NIRF rankings that promote green campuses. They will conduct campus audits, recommend energy-saving solutions, and design zero-waste systems and gain expertise in making organisations into being sustainable and NetZero. The program will engage with industry leaders to mentor and train the students on developing a sustainability mindset ensuring -, proficiency in data intelligence for climate action. The approach to learning will include gamified assessments and data analysis of live projects focusing on Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy Integration, Waste Management, Water Conservation and Carbon Footprint Reduction. 

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), the green economy could create 24 million new jobs by 2030 with 8.4 million in developing countries. Furthermore, the renewable energy sector alone is expected to create over 38 million jobs by 2030, highlighting significant employment opportunities (World Economic Forum). Green internships thus act as a key gateway to these future roles, while contributing to sustainability and carbon reduction efforts.

The Green Internship Program was launched at the AICTE Headquarters in New Delhi in the presence of dignitaries, Prof. T. G. Sitharam, Chairman, AICTE, Prof. Anil SahasraBuddhe, Chairman, NETF, Dr. Buddha Chandrasekhar, CCO, AICTE, Yudhisther Yadav, India Lead, Partner Success and Ecosystem Growth, Salesforce India, and Manav Subodh, Founder & Chief Mentor, 1M1B, along with other dignitaries.. 

1M1B Green Skills Academy was announced at the United Nations headquarters in December 2023. Earlier this year, 1M1B started India’s 1st Green Skill Academy-Developing climate talent leveraging AI in partnership with the Government of Telangana and Salesforce, followed by another MoU with the Government of Meghalaya. 1M1B, in partnership with Salesforce, is also setting up the first physical centre of the 1M1B Green Skills in Hyderabad, Telangana, to provide hands-on learning experiences to students.

Prof. T. G. Sitharam, Chairman, AICTE said “The Green Internship Program is a key step towards fostering eco-consciousness and equipping students with practical skills in sustainability. It aligns with our vision of integrating green practices into education, helping institutions contribute to national environmental goals and ensuring our future workforce is ready to meet global sustainability challenges.”

Arundhati Bhattacharya, CEO & Chairperson, Salesforce India, said, “At the core of Salesforce’s values is our unwavering commitment to a sustainable future, and we are dedicated to empowering the next generation with the skills needed to lead this charge. Our association with 1M1B Green Skills Academy and AICTE reflects this commitment, offering students valuable hands-on experience in green technologies and sustainable practices, preparing them for the jobs of tomorrow accelerating India’s journey toward a greener, more resilient, sustainable economy.”

Dr. Buddha Chandrasekhar, CCO, AICTE said, "This internship program offers students practical experience in sustainability, equipping them with skills to prepare for emerging sustainability-related jobs in the green economy while also helping transform campuses into sustainable ones.”

Prof. Anil Sahasrabuddhe, Chairman, NETF said, "This program is a remarkable initiative. When students work on their campuses as live projects, the outcome will be a comprehensive roadmap, serving as a guiding tool for institutions to achieve net-zero goals."

Manav Subodh, Founder and Chief Mentor, 1M1B, said, “India’s population primarily consists of young people. The Green Internship program will provide an opportunity and a platform to our young people to learn and explore new career opportunities in the growing green economy. It’s a program to identify and groom the climate talent of our country. We are proud that AICTE and Salesforce are supporting us in building the Green Future Ready workforce. 1M1B will be able to provide green internships to over 1 lakh youth in the next five years."

The aspiring students can now apply to the internship through the AICTE internship portal. Upon completion of the program, interns will receive certificates, and the top interns will be given recognitions and awards.