July 15: World Youth Skills Day: Skills for a flat world, for a new India
World Youth Skills Day 2025: Preparing Young India for an AI-Driven Future
India Inc. leads the charge in equipping youth with future-ready skills for a tech-powered tomorrow.
As India steps into a new digital era, World Youth Skills Day 2025 arrives as a powerful reminder of the urgent need to equip the nation’s youth with skills that match the pace of innovation. With automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and emerging technologies reshaping industries, future employability now depends on future readiness.
This year, Indian businesses are taking bold steps—not just treating skilling as a corporate social responsibility, but recognizing it as a strategic investment in India’s long-term economic success.
Bridging the Skills Gap: A National Priority
With one of the world’s largest youth populations, India is uniquely positioned to benefit from its demographic advantage. But to truly harness this potential, there’s a critical need to align education with the rapidly evolving job market.
From smart infrastructure to immersive design, the skills of tomorrow are no longer optional—they are essential. And on World Youth Skills Day 2025, companies across sectors are stepping up to drive this transformation.
Godrej’s Project Disha: Building Skills with Purpose
Godrej Enterprises Group has been a frontrunner in youth skilling with its flagship initiative, Project Disha. Since 2011, it has impacted over 200,000 lives, with more than 9,000 individuals trained in FY25 alone. Impressively, 45% of participants secured jobs, mainly in the high-growth manufacturing sector.
“India’s youth must be empowered to adapt to technological changes,” says Ashwini Deodeshmukh, Head of CSR & Sustainability Reporting, Godrej Enterprises.
“Through Project Disha and our collaboration with ITIs, we’re modernizing trades and incorporating digital literacy to build a truly future-ready workforce.”
Emaar India: Empowering Tomorrow’s Builders
In the real estate industry, where digital transformation is reshaping everything from design to customer experience, Emaar India is preparing young professionals for this shift.
“The real estate sector must foster future-focused talent,” says Madhuri Mehta, CHRO & Head – Communities, Emaar India Limited.
“We are focused on imparting next-gen skills—AR/VR, IoT, Blockchain—while nurturing leadership and inclusion, in sync with the vision of Viksit Bharat.”
Experion Technologies: Beyond Skills, Building Confidence
For Experion Technologies, skill-building is not just about technical training. It’s about shaping well-rounded individuals ready to thrive in a competitive world. With mentorship initiatives like Maestro, and deep campus-industry engagement, Experion is enabling youth to grow in confidence and capability.
“Youth aren’t just jobseekers—they’re tomorrow’s leaders,” shares Jijo Joseph, Director – People & Culture, Experion Technologies.
“Bridging the gap between education and employability is an industry responsibility. We’re committed to developing resilient, passionate professionals.”
HARMAN Automotive: Training for a Connected Future
A Samsung subsidiary, HARMAN Automotive is skilling the next generation of engineers and professionals through its own learning ecosystem—HARMAN University. From bootcamps to hybrid leadership programs, it offers hands-on training across engineering, finance, HR, and IT.
“Our aim is to nurture well-rounded, job-ready and future-ready talent,” says Nagendra Prasad, Sr. Director, HR Business Partner at HARMAN Automotive.
“We provide inclusive, real-world learning experiences that prepare youth for the connected car economy.”
Imarticus Learning: Driving the AI Talent Surge
With AI forecasted to contribute $13 trillion to global GDP by 2030, digital fluency is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. Imarticus Learning has seen a staggering 118% increase in demand for AI-related programs, reflecting the market’s hunger for upskilling.
“As AI and automation evolve rapidly, so must our learning systems,” says Nikhil Barshikar, Founder & CEO of Imarticus Learning.
“The future demands not just tech skills, but a responsible and innovation-driven mindset.”
India’s Youth: Not Just Adapting to the Future, But Shaping It
World Youth Skills Day 2025 is more than a ceremonial date—it’s a rallying cry. A call for stronger collaboration between government, industry, and academia to empower young Indians to succeed in a digital-first economy.
From factory floors to fintech, from coding to construction, India’s youth are being equipped with the right tools to lead the future, not just survive it.
Why Skilling Youth is India’s Smartest Investment
- Job-readiness: Companies are shifting focus to hands-on, industry-relevant training.
- Inclusivity: Programs are reaching beyond metros to empower underserved communities.
- Digital transformation: From AI to blockchain, new-age skills are in high demand.
- National impact: Skilling is no longer a soft initiative—it’s a backbone of Viksit Bharat.
Final Word:
As digital disruption becomes the new norm, the efforts made this World Youth Skills Day signal a clear shift—India is no longer waiting for the future. It is preparing to lead it.
