In line with Government of India's National Skills Development Mission, major Public Sector Undertakings under Ministry of Petroleum& Natural Gas (MOP&NG) have been mandated to promote & set up Skill Development Institutes to cater to the skill development needs of various regions across the country.

Skill Development Institute (SDI)-Visakhapatnam, registered as a Society under Andhra Pradesh Societies Registration Act, 2001 in May 2016. Skill Development Institute-Visakhapatnam was Dedicated to the Nation on October 20, 2016, by Shri N.Chandrababu Naidu, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, in the presence of Shri M Venkaiah Naidu, Hon'ble Union Minister for Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation and Information & Broadcasting, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon'ble Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas, Shri P Ashok Gajapati Raju, Hon'ble Union Minister for Civil Aviation and Shri Y. Sujana Chowdary, Hon'ble Union Minister of State for Science and Technology & Earth Sciences.

The lead partner for SDI-Visakhapatnam is Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (HPCL). 8 major Government of India Public Sector Oil Companies under Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas viz., Balmer & Lawrie Co, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL), Engineers India Ltd. (EIL), Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (HPCL), Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL), Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) & Oil India Ltd. (OIL) are the promoters of SDI Visakhapatnam.

This Institute is catering to unemployed youth of Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring States and provides specialised short-term training in vocational trades aligned to National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF). In addition to specialized technical training, SDI Visakhapatnam will also provide training on Employbility Skills and language proficiency to make the candidates job fit for the industry, both within India and Overseas.

SDI Visakhapatnam is also undertaking Special Projects to train prisoners of Rajahmundry & Visakh Central Prisons in Plumbing & Welding and Jute Product Stitching Operator by setting up Training Centres inside the Jails.

SDI Visakhapatnam has also trained one batch of foreign nationals from Bhutan in Retail Outlet Attendant (Oil & gas) Job Role.

SDI Visakhapatnam has collaborated with Government agencies like National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) under Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship in various academic and technical areas including affiliations with different Sector Skill Councils which are formed by respective industry bodies (Government & Private Sectors). The Institute has also partnered with Visakhapatnam District Police through agreements for mobilizing and training tribal youth from Visakhapatnam Agency areas under 'Prerana' - community policing initiative of Rural Police. The Institute has tie-ups with reputed entities like Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd., South Asia LPG Pvt. Ltd. for undertaking Skill trainings under their CSR initiative..

Today SDI-Visakhapatnam is a well-known and leading Institution in skill ecosystem in the entire Southern Region, especially Andhra Pradesh, providing excellent training and facilitating employment avenues to unemployed youth.