Experts dwell on youth skill, development of innovations

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 16

Gujranwala Guru Nanak Institute of Management and Technology (GGNIMT) organised its third international conference on ‘Developments through skill and innovations’ today.

More than 250 researchers from across the country attended the conference and presented their research papers. Two proceeding books and 150 selected papers on multiple streams, ranging from computer applications to business management, commercial arts, food technology, tourism and fashion world, were released during the event.

SP Singh, former vice chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, presented the inaugural address and said skill development was a policy matter where government, academic institutions and industry would have to put a unified effort to make it work.

Keynote speaker BS Hundal from University Business School, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, said: “India is gradually moving towards a knowledge economy and this growth is possible only through matching the aspirations of the youth with the skills required to keep pace with developed economies. Skills not only prepare the youth for opportunities but also create new avenues of career growth for them.”

Kamal Wadhera, CEO, TCY Learning Solution Private Limited said skill training should be taken as a mission, advantage of which should reach the masses in both urban and rural areas. Joint participation of the public and private sector could enhance skill development and employers should help people identify the requisite skills and provide expertise to bridge the gaps, he added.

BS Bhatia, Pro Vice Chancellor, RIMT University, Mandi Gobindgarh, and former registrar of Punjabi University, Patiala, presided over the conference and said: “Though India enjoys the demographic advantage of having the youngest workforce with an average age of almost 29 years in comparison with the advanced nations, yet the percentage of skilled workforce in India is about 5 per cent in comparison to developed nations. Our young boys and girls, between the age of 20 to 24 years, lack formal employability skills. So, there is a need for quick and permanent reorganisation of the skill-development ecosystem. The academicians must impart skills necessary to suit the needs of the industry.”

Harpreet Singh, principal, GGNIMT, said India had a potential to become the world’s largest human resource capital, but in order to achieve this, our youth must be imparted with the skills and trainings required to match pace with developed economies.

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