Amaravati, Apr 17 (IANS): Aiming to ramp up the state's competencies in professional skills, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has mooted collaborations with overseas organisations so that the courses in Skill Development Universities (SDUs) meet the international standards.

In a review meeting on Thursday, the Chief Minister directed officials to enter into tie-ups with international organisations for training all students in the state, who have completed professional courses such as ITI, diploma and graduation in engineering, and even in the medical field.

The state government plans to set up SDUs in all the parliamentary constituencies of the state to train graduates and diploma students in the fields of their interest. The ultimate goal of the SDUs is to sharpen the students' skills by giving them one-year apprenticeship and by helping them secure a job.

A government release stated that the Chief Minister instructed that courses should be at least of six months in duration, and should be conducted through the National Informatics Centre (NIC).

"The teaching faculty should be upgraded by conducting coaching sessions in the skill centers itself," the Chief Minister said as he asked officials to plan for a university in Visakhapatnam to train on high-end skills.

IT Minister Goutham Reddy and several senior officials were among those present at the review meeting.