- 5 months ago
At the India Today South Conclave 2025, GD Rajkumar and Kanishka Arumugam highlighted India’s skill gap and stressed the need for upskilling across all job levels. They advocated industry-led training, stronger academia-industry collaboration, and preparing the workforce to work alongside AI to stay globally competitive.
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00:00Let me invite on stage D.D. Rajkumar, who everyone knows here, a familiar figure in Coimbatore.
00:09And of course, we're missing one of the speakers who's supposed to be here today, but we are very well...
00:17Please, please, please sit down.
00:19And Kanishka Armugam, yes, co-CEO of Eki Water Technologies.
00:24Again, familiar faces to Coimbatore and Tamil Nadu.
00:30And this is, I think, a very, very important session for various reasons.
00:35And if you look at... everyone talks of this demographic dividend that India has,
00:42which is, quite simply put, that 65% of Indians are under the age of 35,
00:48and therefore, it's our biggest strength in terms of having a workforce that is very young,
00:54that everybody aspires to, but as it turns out, it is also our biggest challenge.
01:00And if you look across the sectors, and you're in the green sector as well,
01:04everyone is crying out for talent.
01:07And this is a different kind of talent we're looking out for.
01:10The statistics show that 9 out of 10 workers today in India are still in the low-skill, low-productivity jobs.
01:18And one of the examples on the renewable sector, for instance, faces a shortage of close to a million skilled workers.
01:27And that number could go up to 1.7 million.
01:29Now, this is a sunrise sector, and here you have a skill gap that's there.
01:34The fact is that the government seems, the central government and state governments,
01:37have recognized skill development as one of the priority areas.
01:41We know that the Modi government, in 2015, launched the Skill India mission,
01:48which was boldly projected to train 300 million people.
01:53The jury is out on that.
01:55And the fact that many of them trained, didn't find jobs,
02:00largely because the programs weren't aligned with the industry, with what the industry actually needed.
02:06Of course, the Modi government will defer and say that they have done an outstanding job, and they have.
02:11I mean, it's a very difficult task, as we know.
02:13But that is one of the big things that they need to answer for,
02:17because in any survey that India today does,
02:21and we have done our Mood of the Nation poll recently,
02:23we have seen how that is the number one problem.
02:26And now unemployment is the number one problem that keeps coming up.
02:30Just a quick word before I bring the panelists in,
02:32is that the Prime Minister has recently announced the Prime Minister's internship scheme,
02:38which was launched last year, a very good example,
02:41where he wanted one crore Indians or 10 million Indians to get real work experience
02:48in the top 500 companies that we have with stipends and to support them.
02:54There's also push for inclusivity in some of these things.
02:58So you have here a huge attempt by the central government
03:01to create the kind of awareness and skill development that's there.
03:07But yet, as we know, there is a huge skill gap that is there.
03:10And so, therefore, we have very two appropriate panelists over here,
03:14G.D. Rajkumar, Managing Director, G.D. Weiler,
03:17one of the most innovative companies based in Coimbatore,
03:21that was started by G.D. Naidu, his grandfather,
03:23who was a visionary and industrialist, innovative industrialist,
03:28and his father, G.D. Gopal, carried the legacy, and so are you.
03:32Today, they have some of the cutting-edge companies,
03:35including setting up a whole range of training centers.
03:38And, of course, I have Kanishka Arumugam,
03:40Co-CEO of Eki Water Technologies.
03:43He's a second-gen member of the Eki Water Technology Group
03:48and CEO currently.
03:49He's also chief executive of the Indo-German Alliance.
03:52Is that still on with you?
03:54And you've just got it past your MBA from the Oxford University.
04:00Is that correct?
04:01Is that also there?
04:02Okay, great.
04:03So let's start with you, Rajkumar.
04:05And you've been, you know, among the ones that had pushed in.
04:09I'm going to go into a general discussion before we come to specifics.
04:13How do you explain this paradox that 88% of our workers are in unskilled, untrained jobs
04:23when actually we have the youngest workforce
04:26and we need tremendous amount of jobs that require skill?
04:29What's the reason for this paradox?
04:34Good evening, Raj.
04:35Thanks a lot for inviting me here.
04:37Good evening to everyone.
04:38The problem has started many, many years ago.
04:43I think India being focused with the British system of education,
04:50we never focused on skilling, like Germany or Switzerland or Austria.
04:55Good point.
04:57So the problem here is because there was no focus on that,
05:03at some point of time the governments did realize it.
05:06I think the first training institute was started in Okla,
05:11when Mr. Nehru went to Germany and spoke to the then chancellor.
05:19Right.
05:19And they started the Okla training institute.
05:22And thereafter, the NTTFs came, the Netto Technical Training Foundation,
05:27which was started by a Swiss missionary in India.
05:30And they spread across all over India.
05:34And then, like institutes, like our own institute, GTTI, we started in 2002.
05:41And we are the only institute giving a German certificate to the trainees.
05:46The biggest problem, I think, is right from the beginning,
05:50we don't have master trainers.
05:53Right.
05:53But if you take skills, although you say 88% is, you know, not properly skilled,
06:05there are certain traits.
06:07You take, for example, a hairdresser today or a plumber or an electrician.
06:13They earn higher salaries than even engineers.
06:17I mean, people who have apartments and houses know what's happening.
06:20They have a breakdown and they want to call somebody.
06:23They charge whatever they want to because they are skilled.
06:27And one thing what we need to focus is on the remuneration of these skilled trainees
06:36when they pass out.
06:37What is it we are willing to pay them?
06:40What are the trainers going to get?
06:42Right.
06:42And do we have enough master training institutes in the country
06:45to give skilled education?
06:49And then the most important thing is a recognition.
06:53Now, we have an institute which is giving a German certificate,
06:57but our trainees are not recognized in India.
07:01Really?
07:02Because we follow the German system of training.
07:04Okay.
07:05And we won the first World Skilled Silver Medal for the country.
07:09And it was literally not even brought out in any media or anything.
07:13This was in the year 2009.
07:15And many medallions of excellence.
07:18Initially, we took part in literally every World Skilled Competition in manufacturing.
07:22Now, there are many sectors where we are doing very well.
07:26You take chefs, you know, working in restaurants.
07:31We have great people.
07:32We have a lot of good people who are skilled.
07:36But when it comes to manufacturing,
07:39there is definitely a big skill gap,
07:41which has traditionally been there.
07:44And to bridge this, as I told you,
07:46these three things, remuneration, recognition,
07:49and master training is very, very important.
07:54Only then we can go forward.
07:56Very good points.
07:57And that's a good sort of setup to look at your sector, Kanishka, in terms…
08:02Sorry.
08:03I whacked one of your mics.
08:05You can keep this.
08:07Sorry.
08:09Yeah.
08:10Take a look at the renewable energy sector.
08:12And I mentioned the kind of figures that there's a skill gap
08:15of close to one million people that, you know,
08:18the industry or the sector requires.
08:20How do we plug these gaps quickly, in your experience,
08:23without compromising on quality?
08:26That's the main thing, right?
08:27You can do the numbers,
08:28but if you don't bring quality into it,
08:30that's going to be an issue.
08:32Good morning.
08:33Good afternoon.
08:33Good evening.
08:34Namaste.
08:35Close it to the mic.
08:35Yes, please.
08:36This mic, I think you'll have to hold it.
08:37Is it okay?
08:38Yes.
08:38Right next to your mic.
08:39First of all, thank you for having me in this conclave.
08:42Regarding skills,
08:44I think in India, you know,
08:46academia has been part of the education system, right?
08:50The skill training is sitting at the corner of academic world.
08:53It's usually considered as an add-on certificate program
08:56or something like this.
08:58So I think skills should be at the heart of industry and education.
09:03So I think this is where we have to start with in terms of skilling.
09:06So skills cannot be skill certificates
09:08or external professional certification doesn't work.
09:12So, I mean,
09:13skilling should be at the heart of industry and education.
09:16No, in your particular industry,
09:17renewables,
09:18which is the sunrise industry,
09:20what areas,
09:21what would your suggestion be
09:22in terms of
09:25developing skilling centers or...
09:27I work in the water technology and pump space.
09:29You know, when you mean skilling,
09:31usually people consider it to be
09:33a plumber or pump fitter
09:35or electrician and stuff, right?
09:37Skilling is usually considered
09:39as part of a blue-collar job.
09:41But why should it be?
09:42Like, you know,
09:43from the CEO to the watchman,
09:44everyone needs skilling.
09:45Like AI today is,
09:47everyone needs to have the skill set in AI.
09:49So I think, you know,
09:51skilling as a perspective has to change.
09:55You know, not just for blue-collar employees,
09:57but for everyone.
09:58So there has to be a better aspirational brand
10:00and career paths through skill schools
10:02and skill programs
10:04should be encouraged more.
10:06Okay.
10:06You're looking at the stigma
10:07that is attached to vocational courses
10:09and how you can de-emphasize that,
10:11make it more sort of respectable
10:13if you would like to call it.
10:14If I add one more comment,
10:17it's like in Germany,
10:1875% of people are skill set.
10:20I love the way both of you
10:21keep quoting Germany.
10:22This must be just a common connection.
10:25And in South Korea,
10:26it's around 96%.
10:28India stands around skilling
10:29around 2% to 4%.
10:30So we have a lot of work
10:32to do in that space.
10:33And we already have the blueprint
10:34of Germany and South Korea
10:35where skilling employees
10:37from, you know,
10:39all levels
10:39has played an important role
10:41in their industrial transformation.
10:42Rajkumar,
10:44I want you to do
10:45a critical analysis.
10:47We had the Skill India program.
10:48It's not that we
10:49don't have programs.
10:50We have a plethora of them
10:52and the government's,
10:53you know,
10:53premier program
10:54was Skill India.
10:56And there they promised what?
10:5730 crore,
10:58that's 300 million people
10:59should be skilled.
11:01What is your
11:02assessment of the outcomes?
11:04And what in your view
11:07should have been done
11:08or not done?
11:11See,
11:11firstly to your question,
11:14you said
11:15we're quoting Germany.
11:17So let me just
11:18put that in perspective.
11:21I am not an engineer.
11:23Right.
11:23I am a skilled workman
11:25trained in Germany
11:27for three and a half years
11:29as an industrial mechanic
11:31and I underwent
11:33the German
11:34skill training program.
11:35That is why
11:36I'm quoting Germany.
11:37And if you say
11:37mechanic here,
11:38people think that's a,
11:40you know,
11:40in India,
11:40he's a mechanic.
11:41That's the way
11:42they look at it,
11:42right?
11:43Unfortunately,
11:44that respectful labor
11:45is not there.
11:45Yes,
11:45but go ahead.
11:46So I'm basically
11:47an industry,
11:47it's called
11:48an industrial mechanic
11:49course,
11:49which was a three
11:50and a half year course
11:51where you go for
11:51three days a week
11:52to the factory
11:53and each factory
11:55there has an
11:56apprenticeship department
11:57where for the first
11:59one year,
12:00you are put
12:01systematically
12:02through a training
12:03program.
12:04Second and third year,
12:05you go to various
12:07departments of the factory
12:08and always in a week,
12:10one or two days,
12:11you go to the school
12:11where many companies
12:14compulsorily,
12:15the trainee goes
12:16and gets a contract
12:17with a company
12:17for the vocational
12:18program and all
12:20these trainees
12:21compulsorily have
12:22to go to the school
12:23to learn the
12:25theoretical part
12:26which is conducted
12:27by the government.
12:28Okay,
12:29I'm going to interrupt
12:30you because what
12:31I would really like
12:31you to do,
12:32while I know that
12:32the German system
12:33is superb,
12:34we have had
12:35the government
12:36along with this
12:37internship program
12:38talk of a revamp
12:40of the ITIs
12:42across India.
12:43So let us take
12:44that experience
12:45which is unique
12:46in some senses
12:47but let us see
12:48and you've run
12:48technical training
12:49institutes here,
12:51what should the
12:52government do
12:53specifically when
12:54it talks of a revamp
12:55of the ITIs
12:56and everything else
12:57that's there,
12:58what do they need
12:58to do if they have
12:59to meet the current
13:00skill gap?
13:00So that's what I
13:02wanted to get to.
13:03So 2016,
13:06our honourable
13:07then skill development
13:08minister,
13:09Mr. Rudy,
13:10visited our institute
13:11and he was
13:13totally taken aback
13:14by the standards
13:15and he asked a question,
13:18are you recognised?
13:20I said no.
13:22So he said,
13:23we would like to use
13:24an institute like yours
13:26as a benchmark
13:27and improve the quality
13:29of the ITIs.
13:31So we actually
13:32developed something
13:33called,
13:34along with the
13:34joint secretaries
13:35then in Delhi,
13:37we developed a programme
13:39called GVET,
13:40German Indian Institute
13:42of Vocational Education
13:43and Training.
13:44This was supposed
13:45to get deployed
13:46and every state
13:48wanted one GVET
13:50and the best practices
13:52from these GVETs
13:54were supposed to get
13:55into the ITIs.
13:57Never happened.
13:58COVID came
13:58and many things
14:00fizzled out,
14:01many people changed
14:02and we could not
14:03drive and the German
14:04side also,
14:06they were having
14:07a fear because
14:08each two states
14:10needed somebody
14:10to handhold
14:11to ensure
14:13that the quality
14:13of training is good
14:14and this whole thing
14:16fizzled out.
14:17That's what happened.
14:18Okay,
14:19I'm going to come back
14:20to this but let's
14:21get Kanishka into this.
14:22let's measure success
14:24of skill centres,
14:25right?
14:26This is one of the
14:26measuring success
14:28of skill centres
14:29from number trained
14:30to number employed.
14:32That's the key.
14:34Where is this gap?
14:35Again,
14:35I'm looking at this gap
14:36because you're looking
14:38at the renewable energy sector
14:39so you can use that
14:40as an example.
14:41How do we bridge that gap?
14:43I keep asking this question.
14:45I think in India
14:46from my experience,
14:47little experience,
14:48there is a lot of gap
14:49between academic world
14:51and the industrial world,
14:52right?
14:52So let's not blame
14:54the government alone.
14:55Like I think industry
14:56and academia
14:56should sit together
14:57and demand should come
14:59from industry.
15:00I come from industry.
15:01I think we often
15:03less interact
15:04with the academic world.
15:05So interaction
15:07with the academia,
15:08demand should come
15:09from the industry
15:10and the educational
15:11institutions
15:11should supply the demand.
15:14So this is A,
15:15right?
15:15And to be globally
15:16competitive,
15:17I come from Coimbatore
15:18which is called
15:18the pump city of Asia,
15:20you need to have
15:22German engineering,
15:23Japanese quality,
15:25Italian finish
15:25at Chinese prices
15:27combined with...
15:27That sounds like
15:28that old Rajkumar song.
15:29Raj Kapoor, sorry.
15:31Combined with Korean efficiency.
15:32I don't know.
15:34So all that is possible
15:35by skilling
15:37and I think
15:37Coimbatore has got
15:38the right ecosystem.
15:40You know,
15:40very few cities
15:42around the world
15:42have that ecosystem.
15:44You know,
15:45like Stuttgart in Germany
15:46or Shenzhen in China.
15:47I think Coimbatore
15:48will be known
15:48for an industrial
15:49innovation zone
15:50if we continuously
15:52to work on the skill set
15:53and, you know,
15:54skilled schools
15:54working together,
15:55academic world
15:56and the industry
15:57working together.
15:58Right.
15:59No, I'm going to come
16:00to a little provocative
16:01question
16:01because everyone
16:02throws it to the government
16:03and says,
16:04why isn't the government
16:05doing this?
16:06Look,
16:08skilled workers
16:08is the need
16:09of the industry.
16:11You all need
16:12to be doing that,
16:12right?
16:13I mean,
16:13industry needs to be saying,
16:14I don't have
16:15the skilled manpower.
16:16What can I do
16:17to train
16:17and have internships
16:19and employment
16:20sort of schemes
16:21that build in
16:22the skill levels?
16:24So,
16:24should we say
16:25or what would be
16:26the way out?
16:27Do we de-emphasize
16:28government
16:29and you say
16:30that the skill business
16:31should be run
16:32privately?
16:33The government
16:34could fund
16:35the best of them
16:35but the government
16:37should get off
16:38this vehicle.
16:39The industry knows
16:39what to do
16:40with what skills
16:40it wants.
16:41I think
16:43what the government
16:44should do is
16:45should tie up
16:46with the best
16:46of the institutes
16:47in Germany
16:47and Switzerland.
16:49These are the countries
16:50where skilling
16:51is at its best level.
16:55Actually,
16:55it's dwindling
16:56down there too.
16:57Create syllabuses
16:59which are available
17:01for the industry.
17:02The industry
17:03should do the training
17:04and the government
17:06should allow
17:07the industries
17:08depending on
17:09the duration
17:10of the courses
17:10allow the industry
17:13to give a diploma
17:14because MSD,
17:15Ministry of Skill Development
17:16has under the
17:17NCVET program
17:18a skill certificate
17:20as well as
17:22a diploma certificate.
17:24Now,
17:24the government
17:25should give
17:26both choices
17:27to the industry.
17:28You do a two-year course,
17:29you are allowed
17:30as a company
17:31to give
17:31a skill certificate.
17:33You do a three-year course,
17:35as a company
17:36you can give
17:37a diploma certificate,
17:38diploma in tool
17:39and die making,
17:40diploma as
17:40CNC machining technology
17:43or whatever.
17:44But one fundamental thing
17:45which I forgot
17:46to touch upon earlier,
17:48when you talk
17:49about these ITIs
17:50and all that,
17:51one fundamental mistake
17:52what has been
17:54happening in the past,
17:56the trainers
17:56in the ITIs
17:57are engineers.
17:59How can an engineer
18:01who never held
18:02tools in his hand
18:03go and train people?
18:06People think
18:06engineers can be trainers.
18:08Engineers cannot be trainers.
18:09The typical Indian engineer
18:10cannot be trainers.
18:12I hope there are no engineers
18:13out here
18:13who are doing that.
18:15The engineers can do
18:16many things.
18:17Right.
18:18But I am talking about
18:19skill deployment.
18:22Taking a tool
18:23in the hand
18:24and showing
18:24how to do it.
18:25because the engineer
18:27himself has never
18:28done it.
18:29So the...
18:31So you are saying
18:31who should they appoint?
18:33They should take
18:34these people
18:35who have passed out
18:36of the NTTFs
18:37or from institutes
18:39like ours
18:39who have done
18:41a skilling program
18:42for three and a half years,
18:44have in each region,
18:45southern region,
18:46western region,
18:47in Bangalore,
18:48for example,
18:49one of the first tie-ups
18:50what India had
18:50with Germany
18:51with the state
18:52of Baden-Württemberg
18:53was the four-man
18:54training institute,
18:55FTI.
18:57Today,
18:57people think
18:58you don't need
18:58a four-man training.
18:59That's actually
19:00a master training institute.
19:02But the whole thing
19:02has dwindled.
19:03It's become
19:03something else now.
19:05So we need
19:06these master training
19:07institutes everywhere.
19:08Why do we have
19:09fantastic
19:10chefs
19:12and, you know,
19:14pastry makers
19:14because Taj Hotels
19:16put up these
19:19training centers
19:21in a few places
19:21in the country
19:22and cooks
19:23are being trained
19:24very professionally,
19:26ITC also,
19:27and they are getting
19:28jobs now
19:28in other hotels
19:29and even
19:31doing their own
19:32start-ups.
19:34Individuals
19:35are starting.
19:36I recently
19:37met a lady
19:38in Coimato
19:38who was trained
19:39at ITC.
19:40She started
19:41doing
19:42you know,
19:43pastries
19:43and all that.
19:44It's all
19:45finally hand skills.
19:47So engineers
19:47cannot do hand skills
19:48unless they
19:49themselves have
19:50gone through
19:50a skill training
19:51program.
19:53Okay.
19:54Would you,
19:55Kanisha,
19:55come on to this
19:56in terms of the fact
19:57that there was
19:59a National Skill
19:59Development Corporation
20:00there still is
20:01and for a while
20:02there was a scheme
20:04that said that
20:05the government
20:05would fund
20:05certain industries
20:06and the industries
20:08can then run
20:09those skill programs
20:10in their own companies
20:11but as it turned out
20:12there were aberrations
20:13and some of them
20:14was that the industries
20:15took the money
20:16and after two years
20:17returned it
20:18but used the money
20:18for something else
20:19used it as capital
20:20for them
20:21and that became
20:22a problem.
20:23Where now
20:24of course
20:25the government
20:25has said
20:25okay
20:26we will subsidize
20:27certain parts
20:28of the Provident Fund
20:30and others
20:30what is the best
20:32way out
20:32Kanishka
20:33you've come back
20:33from MBA degree
20:34this is all about
20:35management
20:35that needs to be
20:38employed in terms
20:38of bettering the program
20:39what are two or three
20:40things you would say?
20:43A professor of mine
20:44from Oxford
20:44used to say
20:46you know
20:46over analysis
20:47leads to paralysis
20:49you know
20:50academicians always
20:51you know
20:52deliberately talk
20:53about
20:54oh this work
20:54and the PhD
20:55is coming up
20:55a lot of research work
20:56but nothing gets applied
20:58you know
20:58the only way
20:59is to go
21:00apply
21:00test it
21:02and build on it
21:03right
21:03that's skills
21:04you know
21:05it's like a
21:05pilot flying
21:06a simulator
21:07versus a pilot
21:10actually flying
21:10a real plane
21:11so skills
21:12is like the
21:13real pilot
21:14who actually
21:15flies a plane
21:15and just knowledge
21:17alone is like
21:17in a simulator
21:18so number one
21:19is application
21:20my thoughts
21:22would be
21:23on four eyes
21:24I would say
21:25one is innovation
21:26I think
21:27cities like
21:28Coimbatore
21:28or zones like this
21:29should innovate
21:31we should export
21:32more of
21:33internationalization
21:34inclusivity
21:35as my friend
21:37Mr. Rajkumar
21:37said that
21:38you know
21:39the trainers
21:40has to be
21:41given
21:41as equal respect
21:43as a professor
21:44or a lecturer
21:44in a college
21:45right
21:46so
21:46there is a lack
21:47of
21:48trainers
21:49good quality trainers
21:50and they should
21:50come from industry
21:51and a methodical
21:53approach to
21:54train the trainers
21:55so
21:56and my last
21:57I would be
21:58innovation
21:59internationalization
22:00inclusivity
22:02and I would say
22:03improve
22:04every day
22:05say sorry
22:06improve
22:06improve
22:07improve
22:08your organization
22:09improve
22:10sorry
22:10improve the
22:11organization
22:12improve the
22:13skill set
22:13I think
22:14every day
22:15we all work
22:16together to
22:17improve our
22:17organizations in
22:18the country
22:18right so
22:19skilling is a
22:20very important
22:20part of it
22:21good
22:22Rajkumar
22:23I think
22:23one of the
22:24issues
22:24that we have
22:25sort of
22:25dealt with
22:26but not really
22:27in depth
22:27is how do
22:28you remove
22:29this
22:29second class
22:31treatment
22:32that vocational
22:33education gets
22:33we call it
22:34skill education
22:35call it
22:35what
22:36but anyone
22:37who goes
22:37towards being
22:38a plumber
22:39a beautician
22:40somehow society
22:41kind of
22:41even the
22:42parents say
22:42but why
22:42you want
22:43to go
22:43for a
22:44degree
22:44right
22:45and
22:45it's a
22:46different
22:46matter
22:46that none
22:47of these
22:47degrees
22:47particularly
22:48BA used
22:49to say
22:49BECAR
22:50degree
22:50because
22:50no one
22:51got jobs
22:51all of
22:51them
22:52are
22:52unemployed
22:52how can
22:53we change
22:53the mindsets
22:54of society
22:55which says
22:56that
22:56any job
22:57that you
22:58do
22:58is a
22:59skilled job
23:00and we
23:00don't treat
23:01our plumbers
23:01too well
23:02we don't
23:02treat our
23:02we require
23:03them
23:03our
23:04carpenters
23:04just look
23:05at our
23:05own homes
23:06right
23:06we want
23:07skilled
23:08in to do
23:09it
23:09why can't
23:10we change
23:10the attitudes
23:11and what
23:11needs to be
23:12done about
23:12that
23:12as I said
23:13firstly
23:14it's the
23:15remuneration
23:15when they
23:17pass out
23:17and come
23:17suppose
23:18they go
23:18to a
23:18skill
23:19institute
23:19and do
23:19a proper
23:21training
23:21and come
23:21out
23:21how much
23:22are they
23:22getting
23:22paid
23:23initial years
23:24they don't
23:24get paid
23:25well
23:25it takes
23:26time
23:26for their
23:27experience
23:27and finally
23:28as I told
23:29you they
23:29even earn
23:29more than
23:30engineers
23:30so the
23:31reverse in
23:32Germany
23:32is there
23:32that the
23:33person
23:33who's
23:33trained
23:33from
23:34vocational
23:34education
23:34gets
23:35more
23:35money
23:35than
23:36the
23:36regular
23:36even in
23:37India
23:37because you
23:39just said
23:39it
23:40many of
23:40the
23:41engineers
23:41are not
23:41getting
23:42employed
23:42and even
23:42CIA
23:43has
23:43statistics
23:43about it
23:44many of
23:45the engineers
23:45don't get
23:46employed
23:46in fact
23:46what I
23:47would say
23:48is
23:48there are
23:50many good
23:50things in
23:51the NEP
23:52because now
23:53schools also
23:54CBSE
23:55schools
23:55they have
23:56brought in
23:56skills as
23:58part of the
23:58curriculum
23:58which is
23:59quite good
24:00and since
24:02we were
24:02our roots
24:03are in
24:03automotive
24:04we run
24:04a school
24:04where we
24:06teach
24:06automotive
24:07skills
24:07and the
24:08enthusiasm
24:09what you
24:09see with
24:10the children
24:10is really
24:11fantastic
24:12similarly
24:13at the
24:14engineering
24:14level
24:14we spoke
24:15about the
24:15medium
24:16level
24:16middle
24:16level
24:16till now
24:17at the
24:18engineering
24:18level
24:18also
24:19the first
24:20one and
24:21half years
24:21according to
24:22me an
24:22engineering
24:23student should
24:23not be
24:24sitting in
24:24the
24:24classroom
24:25he should
24:26be sitting
24:26for four
24:27days a
24:27week
24:28in a
24:29lab
24:30or not
24:31in a
24:31lab
24:31in a
24:32workshop
24:32learning
24:33skills
24:34and this
24:35workshop
24:35can also
24:36be used
24:36for supplying
24:37components
24:38or parts
24:38to the
24:40industry
24:40and one
24:42day a
24:42week
24:42theory
24:43classes
24:43and they
24:44can in
24:45this way
24:45when they
24:46come to
24:47the theory
24:47classes
24:48after one
24:48and half
24:48years
24:49they will
24:49be really
24:49fit to
24:50understand
24:50what is
24:52being taught
24:52in theory
24:53right
24:54I mean
24:55I think
24:55the
24:55larger
24:55point
24:56is
24:56how
24:56do
24:56you
24:56change
24:56the
24:56mindsets
24:57of
24:57parents
24:57when
24:58their
24:59child
24:59comes
24:59back
25:00and
25:00says
25:00look
25:00I'd rather
25:01do
25:01this
25:01than take
25:02an
25:02engineering
25:02degree
25:03right
25:03my
25:03entrepreneurship
25:04is
25:05setting up
25:06a plumbing
25:07factory
25:07and
25:07repairing
25:08all the
25:08taps
25:09and
25:09plumbing
25:10works
25:10across
25:10that's
25:11one of
25:11the
25:11things
25:11but
25:12let me
25:12there
25:12are
25:12just
25:12three
25:13minutes
25:13left
25:13and
25:14let's
25:14look
25:14at
25:14maybe
25:15you can
25:16start
25:16with
25:16your
25:17experiences
25:17of
25:18how
25:19AI
25:19is
25:20transforming
25:20the
25:20workplace
25:21and
25:22technology
25:22is
25:23transforming
25:23it
25:23in
25:24its
25:24own
25:24way
25:25with
25:25the
25:25use
25:25of
25:25AI
25:26on
25:26this
25:26thing
25:27and
25:27how
25:28do
25:28we
25:29then
25:29meet
25:30this
25:30new
25:31challenge
25:31on
25:31one
25:32side
25:32you
25:32have
25:32not
25:32been
25:32able
25:33to
25:33fulfill
25:33and
25:34meet
25:35the
25:35skill
25:35gap
25:35on
25:35the
25:36other
25:36side
25:36you
25:36have
25:36the
25:37world
25:39growing
25:40rapidly
25:40in
25:40technology
25:41and
25:42AI
25:42and
25:42that
25:43requires
25:43a
25:43whole
25:43new
25:44set
25:44of
25:44skills
25:44and
25:44also
25:45makes
25:47that
25:47thing
25:48so
25:48what
25:48is
25:48your
25:48solution
25:49to
25:50some
25:50of
25:50these
25:50things
25:50I
25:51think
25:51the
25:51future
25:51of
25:51work
25:52would
25:52be
25:52with
25:53people
25:53who
25:54work
25:55not
25:56against
25:56AI
25:56it
25:57would
25:57be
25:57people
25:58who
25:58know
25:58to
25:58work
25:59along
25:59with
25:59AI
25:59and
26:00the
26:00people
26:00who
26:01are
26:01not
26:02with
26:02AI
26:02so
26:02AI
26:03is
26:03part
26:03of
26:04us
26:04so
26:04there
26:04will
26:04be
26:04two
26:05groups
26:05like
26:05people
26:06who
26:06are
26:06adapting
26:06to
26:07AI
26:07versus
26:08the
26:09people
26:09who
26:09don't
26:09know
26:09AI
26:10so
26:10point
26:10number
26:11one
26:11right
26:11I
26:12mean
26:12as
26:13computers
26:13change
26:14the
26:14world
26:14I
26:14think
26:14AI
26:15is
26:15going
26:15to
26:15change
26:15everything
26:16from
26:18you know
26:18how you
26:19work
26:19cook
26:20everything
26:21and
26:21every
26:21day's
26:21life
26:22so
26:22I
26:22think
26:22change
26:23is
26:23inevitable
26:24and
26:24AI
26:24will
26:24be
26:25a
26:25part
26:25of
26:25a
26:25big
26:25revolution
26:26in
26:27this
26:27journey
26:27Raj
26:28to
26:28you
26:29the
26:29final
26:29word
26:29one
26:30and
26:31a
26:31half
26:31minutes
26:31to
26:32go
26:32is
26:33look
26:33a lot
26:34of
26:34the
26:34machines
26:35are
26:35doing
26:35the
26:35work
26:36that
26:36once
26:36the
26:36skilled
26:37mechanics
26:38and
26:38everybody
26:38else
26:39was
26:39doing
26:39and
26:40AI
26:40is
26:40coming
26:41a
26:41big
26:41way
26:41so
26:41where
26:41do
26:42you
26:42see
26:42this
26:42train
26:43coming
26:43are you
26:43going
26:44to
26:44be
26:44hit
26:44by
26:44it
26:44or
26:45you
26:45jump
26:45onto
26:45it
26:46AI
26:47is
26:47going
26:47to
26:48take
26:48over
26:48in
26:48a
26:48very
26:48big
26:49way
26:49particularly
26:50because
26:51vision
26:52is being
26:54combined
26:54with
26:55robotics
26:55so
26:57today
26:57with
26:58vision
26:59combined
26:59with
27:00robotics
27:00you
27:01can
27:02bring
27:02in
27:02so
27:02much
27:02of
27:03intelligence
27:03like
27:04a
27:04human
27:04being
27:04robots
27:06can
27:06adapt
27:07it's
27:08just
27:08not
27:08you
27:08train
27:09a
27:09robot
27:09to
27:09do
27:09only
27:10this
27:10they
27:11go
27:11and
27:11do
27:11something
27:12they
27:12find
27:12this
27:12is
27:12not
27:12okay
27:13they
27:13will
27:13even
27:13do
27:13the
27:14correction
27:14you
27:15know
27:15recently
27:16I
27:16was
27:16at
27:16a
27:16show
27:16in
27:17Germany
27:17no
27:17I
27:18want
27:18you
27:18to
27:18say
27:20so
27:20what
27:21do
27:21we
27:21do
27:21here
27:21we
27:22have
27:22got
27:22this
27:22whole
27:22skilled
27:22manpower
27:23and
27:24suddenly
27:24AI
27:24has
27:25come
27:25and
27:25taking
27:25away
27:25all
27:26these
27:26big
27:26skills
27:26that
27:26we
27:26have
27:27so
27:27what
27:27is
27:28the
27:28emergency
27:28measures
27:29we
27:29need
27:29to
27:29take
27:29we
27:30need
27:31to
27:31revamp
27:32the
27:33entire
27:33system
27:33and
27:34get
27:35in
27:35companies
27:35on
27:36board
27:36master
27:38training
27:38is
27:38very
27:38important
27:39and
27:40giving
27:40more
27:40autonomy
27:41to
27:41the
27:41industries
27:41let
27:42the
27:42industries
27:42use
27:42their
27:43CSR
27:43funds
27:44even
27:45for
27:48and
27:49the
27:49master
27:49trainers
27:50let
27:51them
27:52be
27:53allowed
27:53to
27:53use
27:53the
27:53CSR
27:54funds
27:54for
27:54all
27:54this
27:55last
27:55word
27:5620
27:56seconds
27:5710
27:58seconds
27:58to
27:58you
27:58the
27:59other
28:01day
28:01I was
28:02there
28:02in
28:02this
28:02seven
28:03hill
28:03city
28:04in
28:05London
28:05leading
28:06architectural
28:07firm
28:07they were
28:09discussing
28:09about
28:10this
28:10project
28:10it
28:11was
28:12so
28:12interesting
28:12to
28:12see
28:13how
28:13ecological
28:13balance
28:14and
28:14Coimbat
28:15on
28:16that
28:16zone
28:17has
28:17more
28:18than
28:18200
28:19educational
28:19institutions
28:20in
28:20Coimbatore
28:21industries
28:21and
28:22entrepreneurs
28:22so
28:23all
28:23this
28:23makes
28:23it
28:24a
28:24very
28:24unique
28:25ecosystem
28:25and
28:26I
28:26think
28:26that's
28:27the
28:27way
28:28forward
28:28well
28:29GD Rajkuma
28:30Kanishkar
28:31Mugham
28:31we've run
28:31out of
28:31time
28:32a very
28:33important
28:33subject
28:34ladies and
28:34gentlemen
28:35they gave
28:35us some
28:36rare
28:36insights
28:36into
28:36that
28:37let's
28:37give
28:38them
28:38a
28:38very
28:38warm
28:38round
28:39of
28:39applause
28:39for
28:40this
28:40thank
28:40you
28:40very
28:40much
28:40thank
28:41you
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