Message :

"India is sitting on a global demographic advantage. This demographic dividend needs to be earned i.e. the young need to be provided with the training & appropriate skills for using this opportunity. For converting this demographic edge into a profitable development proposition it is imperative to understand international models of skills & to gain a Global perspective.

It is internationally recognized that the most sustainable way to propel socio-economic growth is to provide quality skills training. Many nations have struggled to bring this into their systems. They have seen resistance & experienced failures only to become World leaders in generating employable manpower. As a start, India needs to critically analyze these stories & hence churn out a model that would suit the diverse local conditions & population mix, thus accelerating India's pace towards being the leading Knowledge Economy". It is extremely important to identify the stakeholders  & not just for the cause & effect - but for congregated delivery of skills. Who are they ? Why are they important ? What can they do? And how should they contribute towards this national agenda, are crucial questions, answers for which are much needed for developing 'the Indian skills delivery model.

The need is understood, but where is India headed in terms of skills delivery is still not clear. Given the magnitude of opportunities a futuristic & totalitarian approach is a must. The wide array of initiatives undertaken by the stakeholders is encouraging and developing partnerships is the key. Gainful use of resources & expertise available within the country is much needed to ensure that the growth is inclusive & positive for the masses.

For the industry it is again a wonderful mix of challenge & opportunity. Challenge because the numbers are humungous and inclusive growth a must. Challenge because Industry needs to supplement efforts of government and civil society and provide equal employment opportunities to the socially & economically under-privileged. A challenge because a large pool of manpower is not employable - the curricula obsolete & there is a mis-match between skills required by the market & those imparted by the country's higher & vocational education system. A challenge because it is not only a legislative imperative, but also a business need of the Industry

I urge you to listen to the foremost leaders of the contemporary society debating on topics that will update us on the directions where india is moving!!!