Build future-ready workforce to drive India's manufacturing growth: Ashwini Vaishnaw

New Delhi, May 23 (IANS) Union Minister of Railways and Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, has called for concerted action to build talent and capacity in support of the ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ mission.

Addressing a roundtable comprising industry leaders and academia here, the minister urged stakeholders to accelerate the development of a future-ready workforce to drive India’s manufacturing growth.

The roundtable discussion focused on talent development and capacity building for sustainable manufacturing, combining a global perspective with local action.

The minister praised the emergence of a new sector, Manufacturing, Engineering, and Technology (MET), an initiative by NAMTECH (New Age Makers Institute of Technology), the MET Innovation School.

This initiative aims to meet the demands of Industry 4.0 and beyond, specifically by addressing the talent gap in emerging technologies and preparing a highly-skilled workforce and future leaders capable of driving transformative change in India.

Vaishnaw welcomed the MIT delegation at the event, calling them one of the finest institutions globally, which is envisioned as a world-class institute for advanced manufacturing.

He also acknowledged Indian industry leaders such as Suzuki, Siemens, ABB, Inox and others, emphasising that industry participation is essential to making NAMTECH truly impactful and aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision.

The government has launched several pioneering missions, including the India Semiconductor Mission, AI Mission, National Robotics Strategy, Mobility Manufacturing Mission, and National Hydrogen Mission, which reflect the priority placed on advanced technology development and adoption.

The National Education Policy 2020 also emphasises holistic development and the integration of vocational and digital education into mainstream schooling.

Complementing these are talent-oriented frameworks such as the Skill India Digital Hub, ITI Upgradation Scheme, Chip to Startup, and the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) — all of which emphasise industry-aligned, inclusive skilling models.

MeitY continues to support such ecosystem-driven initiatives that bridge critical skill gaps, democratise access to advanced technology education, and contribute to India's global competitiveness in the electronics and manufacturing domains.

The event also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between NAMTECH and Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (GSV), Vadodara.

—IANS

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