Date:28/10/2007 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/10/28/stories/2007102850900500.htm

Back Adobe, NIIT team up to offer training programmes

Showcase centres to be set up in metros

Kamal Narang

Global alliance: Mr Vijay K. Thandani, Chief Executive Officer, NIIT, with Mr Shantanu Narayen, President and Chief Operating Officer, Adobe Systems Inc, at a press conference to announce NIIT alliance with Adobe Systems Inc in the Capital on Saturday. —

Our Bureau

New Delhi, Oct. 27 NIIT Ltd and Adobe Systems Inc on Saturday announced a global alliance to create a talent pool for design, web, mobile and interactive media. Through this strategic partnership, NIIT would offer training programmes on Adobe’s software tools and technologies used in business, entertainment and personal communication across 32 countries. Adobe would provide access to its software for the programme.

As part of the alliance, NIIT would provide these training programmes in 600 centres in India and overseas in the next three years, and target 60,000 students. The two companies would also jointly set up showcase centres in metros. Over the next one year two such centres would come up in Mumbai and Chennai. NIIT would also offer the training programmes in the emerging markets such as China and Vietnam, in addition to 30 other countries in its global network.

“While Adobe will provide access to its latest software development tools and technical resources, NIIT will leverage its strength in curriculum design and education process management to offer these training programmes. NIIT will offer training on Adobe’s enterprise products, Web 2.0 technologies such as Flex, Flash, Adobe Integrated Runtime (AIR), Dreamweaver, ColdFusion and creative suite products,” Mr Shantanu Narayen, President and COO of Adobe Systems Inc, said at a conference.

Commenting on the alliance, Mr Vijay K Thadani, CEO of NIIT, said: “The demand in the international market for such professionals is already growing. In addition, there is a significant need for existing software professionals to upgrade their skills in the latest Adobe technologies in the backdrop of Web 2.0.”

As per Nasscom estimates, there is a requirement for three lakh animation professionals by 2008 and the market for gaming development in India is expected to touch $300 million by 2009, growing at a Compounded Annual Growth Rate of 78 per cent. Other factors driving the need for such professionals is the boom in online advertisement and Pay TV advertising.