Industry-academia-govt Must Bridge Skills Gap: Gupta
AP higher education commissioner stresses skills, lifelong learning and industry partnerships
Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh higher education commissioner Dr Narayana Bharat Gupta, on Friday, called for closer collaboration among industry, academia and government to build a future-ready workforce amid rapid advances in artificial intelligence, automation and digitisation.
Addressing the CII Vijayawada HR Future Bridge Summit 2026 in Vijayawada, Dr Gupta said technology could automate processes and enhance productivity, but people would remain central to innovation, organisational culture, trust and leadership.
Citing the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report, he said major changes were expected in the global employment landscape by 2030, with new jobs emerging while existing roles and skills were transformed. “The future does not belong to the biggest organisations; it belongs to those who learn quickly,” he said, stressing continuous learning, agile leadership and innovation.
With nearly 65 per cent of India’s population below 35, the country had a major demographic advantage, he said, but the dividend could be realised only by providing youth with relevant skills, adaptability and opportunities. Experiences from CII delegations to Singapore and South Korea highlighted the importance of lifelong learning and industry-academia partnerships.
Dr Gupta said AP’s investments in electronics, manufacturing, logistics, semiconductors, defence, aerospace and digital technologies would create prosperity only if skilled manpower was available. HR professionals, he said, must become “talent architects” and bridge investment with impact.
CII Andhra Pradesh chairman Narendra Kumar Saranam said talent competitiveness was economic competitiveness and would determine investment, innovation, productivity and entrepreneurship. CII Vijayawada chairman Abhinav Kotagiri said institutions must respond faster to the changing world of work.
ITC vice-president (HR) P. Veeraswamy called for industry participation in curriculum development, internships, apprenticeships and practical training, saying industry must help build talent rather than merely recruit it.
