India’s youth dividend is poised to play a critical role in boosting the country’s economic vision.
Pooja Thakran, Sr. Director – Corporate Communications & CSR, Honeywell, highlights the current skill gap and delves into key upskilling interventions which are augmenting youth employability in India:
“India’s journey towards becoming a $ 5 trillion economy by 2025 will largely be fuelled by leveraging its youth. Despite positive workforce dynamics, a substantial skill gap hampers progress, with only a fraction possessing the necessary skills. Nevertheless, India is proactively responding, with upskilling youth for future jobs and advanced technical training and certification programmes in STEM.
At Honeywell Hometown Solutions India Foundation (HHSIF), we have forged strategic partnerships like Avasara (high-quality residential education for girls in STEM), ICT Academy (training underprivileged youth in advanced tech skills and assuring 60 per cent placements), Swades Foundation (to 
upskill rural youth through vocational training). HHSIF has also been supporting young entrepreneurs by providing them required capital to build start-ups in deep science and deep technology segments in association with the Foundation for Science Innovation and Development, the incubation arm of the Indian Institute of Science. In just three years, our initiatives have impacted over 20,000 youth, 300-plus girl 
students and more than 30 start-ups from across the country. In the coming year, we are also looking at partnering with NSDC to upskill over 3000+ rural youth in advancing technical skills.
However, these efforts demand refinement and collaboration between corporates and academia. A crucial strategy involves continuous innovation, collaboration, and swift execution across the sector. With a dedicated focus on building the future skills in youth, India can transform itself into an unstoppable economic powerhouse.”
