Shillong: In a fresh push to create global employment avenues for Meghalaya’s young workforce, the Meghalaya State Skill Development Society (MSSDS) has partnered with Indie Talent and 2Coms Group to launch a German-Language Training Programme for Overseas Placement. The initiative was inaugurated on Thursday at the Shillong Technology Park, Umsawli.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma called the programme “super-important” for both the State and the country, stressing that Meghalaya’s youthful population is its greatest asset. “It is crucial to channelise that energy in the right direction,” he said. “Our aim is to connect with international markets where the demand for young professionals is rising. The government will continue to support opportunities like these. I thank the German Embassy, the Government of India and organisations such as MSSDS for making this happen.”
The six-month course will equip participants with German language skills, cultural orientation and workplace readiness. The first cohort comprises 30 nursing professionals who will travel to Germany once they achieve the requisite B2-level proficiency.
‘A life-changing journey’
Addressing the launch, Andrea Jeske, Deputy Consul-General at the German Consulate in Kolkata, said the programme could transform the lives of the selected nurses while helping Germany tackle an acute skills shortage. “Our country is projected to need seven million additional skilled workers by 2035,” she noted, citing an ageing population and declining birth rates. “India—particularly Meghalaya—offers a valued pool of qualified professionals. This initiative reflects our shared ambition for education, global careers and skills exchange.”
Jan Ebben, Country Director-General of People2Help in Germany, highlighted India’s “superb resource of young talent” and praised the Meghalaya candidates for their service orientation. “We will work alongside you—language training, visa processes, everything—to make this an experience of a lifetime. Use this opportunity to build a good life and send remittances home to uplift your families and communities,” he told the nurses.
Holger Lange, Founder and CEO of People2Help, added that the goal is “not only to equip candidates with professional and language skills but also to ensure they feel safe, welcome and supported in Germany.” Opening a dedicated training centre in Shillong, he said, is a significant step toward B2 proficiency: “Language is the key to success. Speaking German will let you take part fully in your job and community, build confidence and create social connections.”
Building on Japan and Singapore placements
The new programme follows MSSDS’s recent overseas placements in Japan and Singapore. Under the ‘Skills Meghalaya’ scheme, 27 nurses departed for Japan in 2024 after completing Japanese-language training. In all, 45 nurses from the State have already begun international careers via MSSDS initiatives.
MSSDS officials say the latest collaboration underscores how targeted language training can unlock global employment for Meghalaya’s youth. With Germany’s healthcare sector actively courting foreign talent, the State government hopes the pilot batch of 30 nurses will pave the way for many more to follow.
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