IILM University Gurugram conducts One-Day Conference on Skills, Employability and Entrepreneurship

Gurugram, January 21, 2023: Be creators of jobs rather than seekers of the same, was the theme that echoed by different eminent personality at the one-day conference on “Transforming Bharat” at IILM University, Gurugram on Friday. The discussions focussed on the age of technology that requires innovation for individuals to develop relevant employability and entrepreneurial skills. 

Vice Chancellor, IILM University, Prof (Dr) Sujata Shahi in her opening remarks said that IILM University has provided its students with a curriculum that empowers them to be Aatma Nirbhar, skill based and responsible citizens of the nation.  

The one-day conference “Transforming Bharat through Skills, Employability and Entrepreneurship featured 16 eminent personalities from different fields. The guests were from Swadeshi Jagran Manch, IIM Trichy, Hero MotoCorp, Amazon Internet Services, IBM, S&P Global, JBM Group, IIIT Lucknow, Rockwell Automation India, Bikanerwala, Ch. Bansi Lal University, Gurugram University and Shri Vishwakarma University. 

At the inaugural session, Mr Pawan Jindal, Sangh Prant Sangchalak, encouraged youth to respect all kinds of work and to not devalue any work no matter how small it was. Mr Satish Kumar, Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) National Co-organiser, said that the term “entrepreneurship” needs to be promoted more among the youth so that they create job in the country rather than seek job from others. 

The other three panel discussions were divided into sub-themes which were:
•    Role of educational institutes as a model for the future
Prof (Dr.) Ranbir Singh, Pro Chancellor, IILM University, Gurugram began the discussion by saying. “Are we future ready? If not… we have to be technologically sound, professionally competent and socially relevant.” 

In his remarks, Prof (Dr.) Ashwini Mahajan, National Co-convener of SJM, said, “Many of us consider that technology would replace labour and would affect employment but we as educators are not to limit the students future in building technology - we can research on how to put it to good use while not limiting anyone in their skills or employability, he said. 

Speaking on having a right direction and values Prof K P Singh, Director, IIM Trichy, said that value and skills should be entwined and we should help our students develop into  integrated personalities through a multi-disciplinary approach. 

•    Future of Jobs: Impact on equal entrepreneurial opportunities
Mr P Dwarkanath, Pro Chancellor, IILM University, Gurugram began the next discussion by saying how everyone needs to have an open mind towards gaining job. It’s a combination of attitude and aptitude that will help the students reach the ultimate goals, he said.

“Today is not the time when the skills that you have acquired will be there permanently with you, you have all the time to skill, upskill or multi-skill to getting into the best of your careers,” said Mr BB Gupta, President of JBM Group. 

Listing out the reality of job environment, Ms Bhavna Batra, Executive Director, People and Global People Programs Leader, S&P Global, said, “Our ability to learn, unlearn, relearn, multi-skill ourselves depend on our ability to build our learning intelligence… a big part of jobs today is our imagination and our openness to take risks.”

•    India as a global player in the educational sector
Prof Jyoti Rana, Dean, Academic Affairs, Shri Vishwakarma Skill University, Haryana, started the third panel discussion by inviting the panellists to dwell on passion, position purpose, persons and possibilities for the students. 

Talking about the benefits of the link between industry and academia, Mr D P Singh, Strategic Advisor Employability, Amazon Internet Service Private Ltd (AWS), said that an integrated approach has been built between academia and industry where both sides are making efforts to provide the future generation with multiple industry certifications along with employability.

Dr Arun Mohan Sherry, Director, IIIT – Lucknow talked about redesigning the curriculum and programmes in universities. “If we want to develop a proper skill-based system in the country then focus should be on knowledge creation… focus on exposure.” He stressed on how experience and exposure plays a major role in a complete education. 

Through this conference, IILM University, Gurugram provided a public platform for prominent policy makers, industry representatives and academicians to discuss the revolution that would take place through the dynamic forward-looking NEP 2020 policy announced by the Government of India, which encourages and stresses on the inclusion of education with technology advancement that may lead to employability and entrepreneurial skills.