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Develop low cost, innovative solutions to meet

skills training demand: Swedish Minister

NEW DELHI, November 2, 2012. To bridge the demand-supply gap in  skills training and

development, there is an imperative need to create innovative training solutions, Ms. Annie

Loof, the Swedish Minister of Enterprise, Sweden, said here today at an interactive session on 

‘India & Sweden: Collaboration on Skills Development’, organized by FICCI’s Skills

Development Forum (SDF) in collaboration with the Swedish Chambers of Commerce.

The session addressed the challenges facing the skill development sector. Skill development is

based on collaboration, convergence and coordination. Vocational training is a strategic

component for economic growth in the future. It holds the key to create employable workforce

which will be armed with knowledge, creativity, entrepreneurship and innovative ideas.

Sweden along with India intends to achieve this goal by framing policies, setting up training

centres and collaborating with the Government and industry, Ms. Loof said.

Mr. Harald Sandberg, Ambassador of Sweden to India, stated, “A structural imbalance can be

witnessed in the field of skills training and development. The majority of the world’s population

is ageing and India is one of the nations which comprises a high number of employable

workforce.” 

He added that by 2020, the average age in India would be 29 years, whereas, in countries like

China and the US the average age would be much higher, somewhere around 37. Hence, this

provides India with a great opportunity to train people and prepare them to enter the

workforce in different markets and sectors.

Mr. Sushil Ramola, CEO & MD, B-Abe, pointed out that by 2020 some of the major world

economies will face a shortage of 60 million skilled workforce, but around that time India will

have a projected surplus of 47 million skilled workers. However, to bridge this gap, exchange of

ideas is a must where policies are framed in collaboration with other nations. Programme

funding, content, assessment, certification and placement are the other areas which must be

focused on. A low price, high volume mechanism must be evolved to impart skill development. 

Mr. Ulf Rudebark, Vice President, Strategic Relations & Joint Ventures, Saab, said, “CSR and

skilling of workers is high on almost every nation’s agenda. We plan to set up outstanding Saab

skill development centres. Training in both hard and soft skills will be imparted, and 110 hours

of soft skills training is included in the programme. Also, active relation between training andindustry must be maintained.” 

According to a McKinsey report, to bridge the demand and supply gap in skills sector, India

needs to improve its education system, said Mr. Sameer Khanna, Head-HR, Ericsson. India has

a globally employable pool of talent which requires training. Ericsson has developed many

training programmes such as Connect, Excel and Career which have been considerably

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successful. In 2012-13, Ericsson plans to rebrand and re-launch their training programmes, he

said.

Mr. Sanjeev Duggal, CEO & Executive Director, Centum Learning and Co-Chair, FICCI-SDF,

highlighted the  role of FICCI’s SDF which engages stakeholders, aggregate initiatives and

develops capacities. The Indian Government is aiming to train 500 million people by 2022 and

SDF is supporting and facilitating this endeavor, he said.

Ms. Ambika Sharma, Deputy Secretary General & Head  – International, FICCI, said that India

with a population of 1.2 billion, which is increasing at a steady rate of 17 per cent, offers huge

scope for skill development and training. Only two per cent of India’s workforce has undergone

any kind of training or skill development. Hence there is a need to train people right at the grass

root level.

FICCI MEDIA DIVISION