Month: April 2026

When Priya first enrolled in a vocational training program at her local Industrial Training Institute (ITI) in northern India’s Haryana state, the prospect of a career in technology felt like a future that belonged to someone else.

Across India, ITIs serve as the backbone of vocational education, preparing students like Priya — many of them first-generation learners from underserved communities — for careers in manufacturing, services, and other key industries. But decades of resource constraints at some institutes have led to curricula that need updating, limited professional development opportunities for teachers, and gaps in industry connections.

Oftentimes, these institutions struggle to connect students with modern career opportunities — a risk that could widen the gap between what students are learning and what employers are looking for.

Cisco’s partnership with Quest Alliance, an India-based nonprofit committed to designing solutions that help educators deliver quality skills training, emerged as a direct response to this challenge. One of many nonprofit partners that helped Cisco positively impact 50 million lives in India, Quest Alliance has worked alongside Cisco since 2016. Together, we’re working to drive systemic change across the ITI ecosystem by not only uplifting individual students but also strengthening the institutions and policies that support them.

Strengthening foundations for the future

In 2019, our collaboration with Quest Alliance expanded with the creation of the Future Right Skills Network (FRSN), a multi-stakeholder collaboration originally co-funded by Accenture that today also includes J.P. Morgan, LinkedIn, and SAP Labs India, working alongside key state and central government bodies. FRSN works to make ITIs future-ready through three strategic approaches:

• Shaping national policy in partnership with the Directorate General of Training
• Building capacity among ITI leaders and trainers
• Integrating tech-fueled career development tools like Quest’s MyQuest online platform to extend learning beyond the classroom.

This systems-focused approach was designed to amplify impact. Rather than working with individual students one by one, FRSN focuses on strengthening the institutions and systems that reach students in large numbers, while also working to influence the policies that govern them. Since its founding, the network has supported 2,471 ITIs and reached over 851,000 students. More than 300,000 of those students have benefited directly from Cisco’s support.

The results point to real impact on economic mobility. ITI students with access to digital devices saw their earning opportunities increase by 2.6 times, while those engaging with digital learning platforms experienced a 1.4x improvement in earning potential. In just one year in Haryana, employability skills training contributed to a 50 percent increase in student transitions to jobs aligned with that training.

For students like Priya, these numbers translate into something concrete: a foothold in an economy that had previously felt out of reach. “Before this program, I didn’t think I would ever work in technology,” she says. “But the training I received in employability skills and AI opened doors I didn’t know existed. Today, I’m earning for myself while inspiring others in my community to dream big.”

That individual progress is mirrored at the institutional level. “FRSN has been a valuable partner in advancing our vision for a strong, industry-aligned skilling ecosystem,” says Ms. Trishaljit Sethi, former Director General of Training at the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. “By working closely with state governments, industry leaders, and training institutions, it has helped ensure that ITIs are not just training centers, but true enablers of employment.”

Systemic change for scaled impact

Beyond direct program delivery, the partnership has worked to embed future-ready skills into India’s national policy frameworks, helping ensure that the progress made in individual ITIs can take hold across the broader system. FRSN developed a trainer strategy paper for the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship that informed updates to the National Skills Policy and helps ensure that ITI trainers receive the professional development and institutional support they need to deliver quality instruction.

Cisco has also supported the development of an “AI for All” curriculum, integrating AI concepts into mainstream ITI programs to equip students with foundational, future-ready AI literacy skills.

By investing in the people and the policies that power India’s vocational schools, Cisco and Quest Alliance are helping to strengthen the systems that support students’ aspirations and build a future-ready workforce — one where students like Priya aren’t just spectators of the digital economy, but active participants.

View original content here.

by Kim Allman | Head of Corporate Responsibility and Public Policy

Gen Blog | Community

Every year on March 27th, National AI Literacy Day brings together educators, students and families to explore how to prepare learners for an AI-enabled world. Organized by the EDSAFE AI Alliance, aiEDU, Common Sense Media and The Tech Interactive, the day combines professional development opportunities for teachers with resources and hands-on activities for students that help demystify AI and support responsible use of this rapidly evolving technology.

At Gen, we believe helping young people understand technology is key to building a safer digital future, and we’re excited to join in this day of action.

Together with Discovery Education, a global leader in standards-based curriculum for K-12 learning, we created “Think Smart: Exploring AI and Staying Safe Online.” This new video series is designed to help children and young people understand AI works and how to use it responsibly. The videos introduce key concepts such as where AI appears in everyday life and how to recognize potential risks. The series is available free to educators, students and families through My Digital Life, a multilingual education platform developed by Discovery Education and Norton, part of the Gen family of brands.

 

Supporting Educators with AI Literacy Resources

Norton has partnered with Discovery Education and National AfterSchool Association on My Digital Life since 2023. The platform provides teachers around the world with standards-aligned instructional resources that help students develop essential digital citizenship skills.

Lesson plans, interactive activities and videos for students in grades 3-8 explore topics such as cyberbullying, misinformation and protecting personal data. Norton’s technical expertise helps ensure the content remains accurate and reflects the latest developments in the digital landscape.

The new AI video series builds on this foundation. Through animated storytelling and relatable scenarios, it explores how artificial intelligence intersects with online safety and everyday digital behavior. The lessons encourage students to think critically about technology while developing the skills needed to use AI responsibly.

Since launching, My Digital Life resources have reached nearly 490,000 young people globally. These materials are currently available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Hindi, French and German, helping bring digital education into classrooms across multiple regions.

 

Expanding Access to AI Education

Our collaboration with Discovery Education is part of Gen’s broader effort to expand access to digital safety and AI education for young people.

We also partner with World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), a global movement reaching millions of girls and young women. In 2025, new AI education modules were added to Surf Smart 2.0, a nonformal digital safety education program developed by WAGGGS and Norton that has reached more than 850,000 participants worldwide. Through the program, students explore how AI appears in their daily lives, from chatbots to content recommendations, and learn how to set thoughtful boundaries with emerging tools.

Gen also supports Discovery Education’s Digital Citizenship Initiative, which helps students build the skills needed to create a more respectful and responsible online world. The initiative includes multiple resources on AI literacy, helping middle and high school students better understand how AI shapes their online experiences.

Additionally, we participated in “Teaching AI with Confidence: Skills and Strategies for AI Literacy Day,” a free panel discussion for educators to help strengthen AI‑ready instruction across grade levels. Gen’s Head of Corporate Responsibility & Government Affairs joined the panel, which highlighted practical, age‑appropriate strategies for teaching AI and digital citizenship. Check out the full recording.

By working with educators, nonprofits and technology leaders, we aim to ensure that young people not only understand the tools affecting their digital lives but also feel empowered to use them safely and responsibly.

 

To learn more about Gen’s digital education and training efforts, explore our latest Social Impact Report.

 

These grants were awarded from the Gen Foundation, a corporate-advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

Originally published by Mastercard

By: Jon Huntsman, Vice Chair and President, Strategic Growth, Mastercard

Jorn Lambert, Chief Product Officer, Mastercard

Over the past decade, nothing has reshaped the global economy more than digitalization. Nearly 80% of adults worldwide now have a bank or mobile money account, and 84% of adults in low‑ and middle‑income countries have a mobile phone, according to the 2025 World Bank Global Findex. Millions of people and small businesses are part of the digital economy today who weren’t a generation ago — with new ways to earn, pay, save and grow.

These gains matter. But they also contain a lesson: Access alone doesn’t create stability.

Even as connectivity has expanded, more than two billion people remain underbanked or unbanked. And for many who have entered the formal financial system, financial resilience is still fragile. In emerging economies, only slightly more than half of adults could reliably come up with extra money within 30 days to handle an emergency like a job loss, illness or natural disaster, the Findex found. At the same time, cyber threats, scams and fraud are rising, undermining confidence and potentially limiting participation, especially for the small businesses that are the beating heart of their communities.

The digital economy only works when people and businesses feel safe participating — and confident it works for them every day.

Where we’ve been

More than ten years ago, Mastercard set an ambitious goal to bring 500 million people previously excluded from the financial system into the digital economy. In 2020, amid a rapidly shifting global landscape, we doubled that commitment.

Today, we’re proud to share that Mastercard has helped connect one billion people and more than 65 million small businesses to the digital economy. That reflects a decade of innovation — in how we drive access to financial products, such as debit and prepaid cards and expand our acceptance network, in the way we design digital products and programs for maximum impact, and in the creative partnerships we forged with governments, NGOs, fintechs, telcos and community organizations to bring these innovations to market.

Those efforts brought people into the system, but they also showed us something important: While access remains critical, lasting impact requires helping people move beyond access toward consistent, confident use of digital tools that can create greater financial health.

Our next commitment

That’s why Mastercard is now committing to connect and protect 500 million more people and small businesses on their pathways to financial health by 2030.

Financial health doesn’t happen all at once. It’s a journey, from obtaining a payment credential and building transaction history to accessing more advanced services like credit, loans or insurance that help people absorb shocks and manage risks. Paths may differ, but secure infrastructure, confident digital engagement, and an expanding credit profile are what make financial resilience possible.

This shift reflects what is continuing to unfold in the world today: more digital participation alongside rising cyber risks. It also reflects what we’ve learned: consumers who actively use digital financial tools are more likely to adopt additional products, build resilience and engage more deeply in the formal economy.

Small businesses are central to this commitment. They are engines of growth and inclusion yet are increasingly targeted by cybercrime. When they can participate safely and confidently, they strengthen the communities they serve.

Expanding access with purpose

For many people, the first step into the digital economy isn’t a full‑service bank account. It’s a simple, secure way to receive money and pay for everyday needs. That’s why we designed Essential Debit and Essential Prepaid programs for underbanked and unbanked consumers, with the flexibility to handle everything from wages and government disbursements to daily purchases securely backed by the trust and reach of Mastercard’s global acceptance network. These programs are already live in Nigeria and Colombia, with more countries coming online in the months ahead, to help move people from occasional participation to confident, consistent use.

Supporting confident, everyday usage

Access delivers its greatest impact when digital tools are practical and trusted in daily life. People who move from basic access to consistent use generate significantly more economic activity — 342% more, according to one Mastercard study in the Philippines — and are far more likely to adopt multiple products over time. And by enabling acceptance and expanding issuance for small businesses and supporting a growing network of digital wallets and partners, we are building ecosystems where digital participation feels intuitive, not intimidating.

Strengthening security, vital to resilience

For small business owners, a cyber incident is more than a technical dilemma — it can mean lost revenue, broken trust or even the end of their entrepreneurial dream, which can be fatal to their financial health. As cyber threats grow more sophisticated, Mastercard is scaling partnerships, capabilities and tools that help small businesses better understand and manage cyber risk, build awareness and foster a culture of cyber readiness.

Advancing financial health through collaboration

Moving beyond access requires shared insight and collaboration. That’s why Mastercard recently launched the Global Financial Health Coalition, bringing together financial institutions, NGOs, telecommunications companies, wallet providers and other industry leaders to turn knowledge into action. Guided by principles of connection, protection and empowerment, the coalition focuses on advancing healthy financial behaviors, improving how financial health is measured, and supporting long‑term resilience for consumers and small businesses across regions.

Why this work matters more than ever

Make no mistake: The digital economy is the global economy, and opportunity depends on secure, trusted participation. Without trust, people and businesses slow down. With it, innovation compounds and opportunity travels farther.

The goal isn’t simply a larger digital economy. It’s one people can rely on — where participation is safe and progress is possible, even probable, because trust is built into every step. Our role is to build the road that makes the digital economy work for everyone by leveraging our innovation, network, partnerships and convening power.

Reaching one billion people showed what collaboration and purpose could achieve. The work ahead is about going further — helping the next 500 million people and small businesses build confidence, stability and opportunity.

Continue reading here.

Follow along Mastercard’s journey to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere.