A round table interaction was organized on April 10, 2024 between the delegates of Australia and India by the Australian Trade Commission and the Madras Chamber of Commerce & Industry to discuss the skill requirements in the verticals of energy, education and infrastructure and discuss how mutually beneficial relationships can be cultivated for the same. The discussion was chaired by Mr Leo Bremanis, Australian Investment and Trade Commissioner for South Asia, Mr T R Kesavan, President, MCCI, and Mr Abdul Ekram, Australian Investment and Trade Commissioner.
Mr. Bremanis initiated the session by delineating Australia’s commitment to collaborating with India for future skill development. He emphasized, “India stands as a pivotal partner for global sustainability, and Australia is dedicated to crafting skill enhancement programs for India’s workforce. We are particularly interested in forging alliances in Tamil Nadu, inspired by its vision of attaining a USD 1 trillion economy, and its leadership in automotive, electronics, and renewable energy sectors.”
Industry leaders present shared their thoughts on the topics of how-to bring change to the skill development fields to ensure that everyone was future ready. Sharing his views, Mr Shivaraman, Vice Chairman – Orient Green Power, said, “Technology is changing rapidly and today people are not prepared to handle the demands of renewable energy supply as the skill set is lacking. To be future ready it was important to look at the grassroots requirements in the energy space to ensure that they are future ready.”
Expressing the pressing concern within the infrastructure sector, Mr Praksh Challa, Managing Director, SSPDL Group, said, “We need to develop targeted programs aimed at vocational training to cultivate a pool of highly skilled workers. Today the infrastructure industry is suffering from lack of quality civil engineers and we may need to consider a re-evaluation of the entire curriculum to address this deficiency effectively.”
In proposing strategies to mitigate the skills gap in India, Mr. M Sairam, Associate Director at Athena Informatics, said, “We need to prepare people sustained career growth rather than merely immediate employment. Training programs have to be centred around real-world applications and this approach is pivotal for preparing individuals to fulfil job roles proficiently rather than merely executing tasks.”
Recommendations crystallized into actionable steps, encompassing bridge courses for technology retraining, industry-academia collaborations, curriculum modernization, and a heightened focus on vocational training as a competitive career enhancement tool.
The session was aptly summed up by Mr T R Kesavan, President, MCCI, who stated, “We need to draw out technology maps for the future, these will help us identify what sort of skills are needed to handle the rapidly changing future technology. This proactive approach will improve our ability to identify skill gaps more accurately and equip individuals to adeptly navigate and embrace technological advancements.” He reassured them of the Madras Chamber’s support in identifying and collaborating on pressing areas to begin with.
Following the event, a networking dinner took place, during which the Australian Consul-General, Ms. Silai Zaki, emphasized the importance of collaboration between India and Australia, with a specific focus on Tamil Nadu. She stated, “The skilling sector in Tamil Nadu presents significant opportunities, particularly in emerging fields such as energy and infrastructure. Australia is committed to investing in the Australia-India Future Skills initiative to facilitate collaboration between both countries in pursuit of their ambitious economic objectives. We have observed the establishment of Australian businesses in Tamil Nadu, and we aspire to foster partnerships that will cultivate a skilled workforce, thereby contributing to Tamil Nadu’s economic advancement.”
