L J Ravi 
Future-Ready Workforce Conclave: Bridging India’s Skill Gap
Bengaluru: With more than 65 percent of Indians under the age of 35 and a skill gap affecting roughly 50 percent of the workforce, India’s demographic dividend can only be realised if its rapidly growing labour force gains future-ready competencies.
Recognizing that 63 out of every 100 Indian workers will need new skills by 2030—and that over 70 million people could be left behind without action—Microsoft India, in collaboration with NIIT Foundation, convened industry leaders and nonprofits for the Future-Ready Workforce Conclave in Bengaluru this Wednesday. The conclave showcased the impact of Project Future Ready Skills, a joint initiative designed to narrow the country’s skill shortage and digital divide.
Launched in 2021, Project Future Ready Skills was conceptualised to tackle India’s digital divide at a time when more than 90 percent of the workforce holds education at or below secondary level, leading more than 88 percent of workers occupying low-competency roles despite India producing 16 percent of the world’s AI talent. To address this disparity, and an anticipated AI-enabled-workforce requirement of 1 million by 2026 with a 53 percent demand–supply gap, students are trained in employment-oriented, future-ready skills such as Artificial Intelligence, web development and analytics.
The project has achieved remarkable success: actual student enrolment exceeded targets by 20%, and despite the higher-than-anticipated intake, successful completions also surpassed benchmarks. All graduating students received industry-recognised certificates, a milestone applauded by stakeholders present.
Speaking on the project’s success, Shri. N.B Kumar, Secretary of Vidyavahini Group of Institutions remarked, “Our focus on cloud services, digital transformation, education and cybersecurity perfectly complements the objectives of the students Skilling and Livelihood through Career Development Program by NIIT Foundation. We are proud to support an initiative that is setting the stage for a future-ready workforce by imparting skill training to students from rural background, empowering them to solve tomorrow’s challenges.”
Mr. Vikram Kumar, National head Partnership and Communications, NIIT Foundation, added, “NIIT Foundation is honoured to partner with industry leaders such as Microsoft. The impact we can deliver through our programmes is amplified by private-sector capabilities, driving measurable enrolment outcomes and motivating students who value certifications from companies like Microsoft.”
Neha, a final-year student at Vidyavahini First Grade College and programme graduate, shared, “The experience allowed me to connect with like-minded peers and learn from industry experts, broadening my perspective and laying a solid foundation for my career.”
The program placed graduates at leading employers including Muthoot Finance, ICICI Bank, Tatwa Technologies and many others. To date, Microsoft India and NIIT Foundation have enabled placements through more than 25 Career Guidance Talk Sessions and four job fairs, demonstrating the project’s role in transforming India’s vast demographic dividend into a truly future-ready workforce.
