Kalyani University on Saturday launched a career hub to explore job opportunities and develop entrepreneurship by imparting training in unconventional subjects.

The hub will cover initiatives in biotechnology, visual arts, social support and financial services. Built at a cost of Rs 6 crore, the hub will be housed in a 17,000sqftbuilding.

The multidisciplinary career hub, which the university said was the first of its kind in the state, will use funds provided by the Centre under the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan. The hub was inaugurated by senior agriculture scientist Pradip Majumder.

Kalyani University vice-chancellor Sankar Kumar Ghosh said: “Our objective is to create an environment in which persons who do not have conventional education can build their career through entrepreneurship.”

“We will equip this multi-disciplinary career hub with the latest training facilities and industry-friendly support,” Ghosh added. Varsity sources said the hub would start functioning soon.

“Women, school dropouts, physically challenged persons will be trained under these programmes with the help of premier government and private institutions, and industrial houses with which the university will tie up. The details of the programmes would be announced soon,” said the vice-chancellor.

Sources said experts were being consulted to streamline the project and finalise the modules. The aim is to ensure it suits the needs of the economy and the relevant markets.

“There would be different hubs for women, school dropouts, physically challenged persons, so that new avenues of entrepreneurship for the unprivileged people could be explored. We have invited experts to give us ideas,” he said.