Zoho enhances YCP with AI learning and ‘Train the Trainer’ module

Zoho has expanded its Young Creators Program (YCP), an upskilling initiative, with the introduction of a 'Train the Trainer' module and an updated course curriculum. The new module focuses on training educators to help students build powerful applications using low-code technology. Additionally, the revamped curriculum now includes AI capabilities in low-code application development, ensuring students acquire relevant, modern skills. This year, YCP has extended its reach to six new states in India, partnered with 22 colleges, and expanded to tier 2 and 3 cities like Nagpur and Ghaziabad.

Launched in 2022 by Zoho Creator, the company’s low-code development platform, YCP began as a two-day learning program designed to empower students with minimal or no coding experience to create comprehensive applications. Since then, 45 YCP sessions have been held, benefiting over 5,400 students across various educational institutions. The program has gained traction among students from non-technical backgrounds who want to bring their ideas to life without needing deep technical expertise. Through YCP, students learn to develop applications end-to-end with Zoho Creator, deploy mobile apps, and utilize Zoho’s proprietary programming language, Deluge.

"At Zoho, we believe that technology should be accessible to everyone. With YCP, our aim is to democratise technology education, enabling students to gain hands-on experience in building applications and solving real-world challenges without being limited by technical expertise," said Bharath Kumar B, Head of Marketing and Customer Success at Zoho Creator. "With the introduction of the Train the Trainer module, educators can now be equipped with the tools and knowledge to upskill an even larger pool of students. Our aim is to empower the next generation to not only consume technology but also create it."

This new Train the Trainer module offers educators a comprehensive 20+ hour intensive workshop, featuring advanced sessions and equipping them with the essential tools and resources to master low-code. It helps the trainers develop their expertise to teach and mentor others, creating a multiplier effect in knowledge-sharing and professional development for students.

According to Nasscom, India has the lowest tech talent demand supply gap among global tech leaders. However, given the increase in demand for digital talent, this gap is estimated to widen by 2028. To address this, businesses and academia have to join hands and build industry-centric and skill-focused courses to nurture students with future-ready skillsets. This is why the revised YCP curriculum features interactive workbooks that arm students with solution-building capabilities that will enable them to tackle real-world scenarios.

Given the increase in demand for AI, the course also includes skilling students with AI models that can identify patterns from historical data and make predictions, decisions, or interpretations, enhancing their data-driven decision-making skillset. With these additions, students will get the hands-on experience needed to develop the next generation of enterprise-grade applications. Additionally, to support self-paced learning, the program will now offer on-demand training materials, allowing students to upskill on their own, outside of a traditional classroom setting. Upon completion of the training, students will also get free access to Zoho Creator's enterprise edition for three months.