St. Philomena College Launches IBM SkillsBuild AI Bootcamp for First-Year Students
Puttur, July 1, 2026: St. Philomena College (Autonomous), Puttur, inaugurated a certificate bootcamp titled “Getting Started with AI” under the IBM SkillsBuild initiative in collaboration with the NASSCOM Foundation. The programme was jointly organised by the College’s Training and Placement Cell and the Department of Postgraduate Computer Science as part of a national initiative to equip Indian youth with artificial intelligence and digital skills for the emerging digital economy.
Organised under the theme “Empowering Young People for India’s Digital Future,” the bootcamp aims to introduce students to the fundamentals of artificial intelligence, responsible AI practices, digital competencies, and future-ready skills increasingly demanded by industry.
Presiding over the inaugural programme, Principal Rev. Dr. Antony Prakash Monteiro said the institution is committed to providing students not only with academic knowledge but also with the skills, critical thinking, and adaptability needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving global environment.
“Industry-academia collaborations such as these provide students with meaningful experiential learning opportunities while strengthening their professional competencies. The holistic development of every student remains the institution’s foremost objective,” he said.
Addressing the gathering, Puneeth S., Course Consultant at the NASSCOM Foundation, stressed the importance of introducing students to artificial intelligence early in their academic journey. While acknowledging AI’s transformative impact across industries, he emphasised that human values such as integrity, empathy, mutual respect, responsibility, and ethical decision-making would remain indispensable.
He encouraged students to integrate these values into their academic and professional lives and emerge as socially responsible citizens.
The technical sessions were conducted by Kishore K.S., Course Consultant, NASSCOM Foundation, who served as the resource person for the bootcamp.
Around 450 first-year undergraduate students from various academic programmes participated in the training. The bootcamp provided participants with hands-on exposure to the fundamentals of artificial intelligence, responsible AI applications, digital literacy, and future-oriented competencies sought by employers.
The programme began with an invocation by Kaveramma and team, first-year BCA students. Dr. Vinayachandra, Dean of the Departments of Computer Science and Computer Applications, welcomed the gathering and outlined the objectives of the initiative.
The vote of thanks was proposed by Dr. Geetha Poornima K., Training and Placement Officer, while Sushma Crasta, Assistant Professor in the Department of English, compered the programme.
Among those present on the dais were Dr. Vijayakumar M., Vice-Principal; Dr. Edwin S. D’Souza, IQAC Coordinator; and Abhishek Suvarna, Training and Placement Officer.
The programme was also attended by Ajay Shankar, Senior Manager – Social Innovation and CSR Programmes, NASSCOM Foundation, and Rashmi Lohani, CSR Professional, NASSCOM Foundation. First-year MCA students assisted the resource persons in conducting the technical sessions and ensuring the smooth execution of the bootcamp.
Students who successfully completed the training were awarded IBM SkillsBuild Certificates.
Speaking on the institution’s broader vision for student employability, Rev. Dr. Monteiro observed that while no educational institution could guarantee employment to every student, it could ensure that every learner acquires the knowledge, skills, confidence, and professional attitude required for meaningful careers.
He noted that the college continuously prepares students to meet evolving industry requirements through industry partnerships, globally recognised certification programmes, innovation initiatives, skill development training, and specialised workshops. He added that career success ultimately depends on students’ commitment to learning, sustained effort, and continuous self-improvement.
The Principal further stated that the Training and Placement Cell regularly organises industry-linked training programmes throughout the year to nurture technical expertise, professional ethics, leadership qualities, and essential life skills among students.
