This document discusses the need for greater collaboration between industry and academics to address the skills gap in India's workforce. It notes that while over 3 million graduates enter the workforce annually, only 25% of engineers and 10-15% of other graduates are considered employable. The "Circle of Concern" shows that currently institutions focus too much on theoretical knowledge while industries have little interaction with students. However, the "Circle of Influence" indicates that greater collaboration through initiatives like internships, guest lectures, faculty exchanges could help develop practical skills and make both students and institutions more responsive to industry needs. Some success stories of companies that have established strong industry-academic partnerships through training programs, mentorships and curriculum design are highlighted.

1. Industry Academic Role in
Nurturing Future Talent
Session By –
Rajiv Naithani
Director – HR (Head HR & L&D) GlobalLogic India Pvt. Ltd.
Email: rajiv.naithani@globallogic.com

2. Did You Know?
Besides the technology aspect industries
also evaluate competencies ranging soft
skills, team building, overall attitude, and
values.
According to NASSCOM, each year over 3
million graduates and post‐graduates are
added to the Indian workforce
What we have today is a growing skills
gap reflecting the slim availability of
high‐quality college education
MNC finds only 25% of Indian Engineers
and Management graduates employable
(Survey by Mckinsey Global)
Only 25 percent of technical graduates and
10‐15 percent of other graduates are
considered employable by the rapidly
growing IT and ITES segments
At present, about 53% of employed
youth suffer from some degree of skill
deprivation which makes them
unemployable

3. Circle of Concern – A Reactive Focus
Institutions are
overly focused on
theoretical
knowledge.
Industries seldom
has any student
interaction
Circle of
Influence
Industries hardly
have any role in
designing curriculum
(Negligible
initiatives)
Little learning and
updating knowledge
about changing
environment &
market
Less conversant
with practical
knowledge
Need more case
based studies
*Circle of Concern shows
the Concerns of Industry
and institutions combined

4. Circle of Influence – A Proactive Focus
Institutions are overly
focused on theoretical
knowledge.
Most of the
concerns can be
brought to the
circle of influence
by simple
interventions
Industries hardly
have any role in
designing
curriculum
Less conversant
with practical
knowledge
Circle of Industries seldom
Influence has any student
interaction
Need more case
based studies
Little learning and updating
knowledge about changing
environment & market

5. Therefore, With the Aim To Nurture The Future Talent, Industries
Will Have To Come Closer To The Academics
Academics
Industry

6. A Win – Win Situation
Students
If Institutes:
•Start working on skills
Institutions
and attitudes apart from
knowledge
• Use case Methodologies
• Frequent industry
interactions
Then:
 Institutes’ will get a better placement record.
Gain name in the society and therefore
better admissions.
Overall Growth
If Students :
•Start working on realistic expectations
• Change belief that a degree will get me job
Then:
They will be able to focus more on
enhancement of skills
They will be in a better position to be
hired
Organizations
If Industries:
•Do Frequent learning and
development program
• Visits Campuses and focus
on more interaction
Then:
They will get better workforce
Industries will be able to hire more fresher

7. What can we do?
Award
Students in
Universities
Workshops
Mentoring
Project
Trainings &
Guidance
Tie‐ups with
Universities
Guest
Lectures
More
Internships
programs
Conducting
POC’s at
college level

8. Success Stories

9. GlobalLogic’s Success Story
GlobalLogic has GlobalLogic Development Forum (GDF) which aims at promoting Industry‐
Institution interaction and removing inadequacy of the university syllabus in C.S., C.T. and I.T.
In order to achieve the objectives of GDF, SETU Project (Bridging Academics and Industry) was
launched in 2005
Few Objectives of the Project:
• Identify the right talent during the academic tenure of the students and guide them to
come up to the industry expectations.
• Properly align the students resources to meet the industry standards.
• Integrate the students technically, professionally and culturally with the IT industry
• Build a pool of trained resources which are available as per requirement
•
•
•
Videocon’s Success Story
•
•
Videocon started with Knowledge Sharing
In Aurangabad, they introduced a curriculum based on industry requirement – areas which are
a need but not a part of the academics

10. Reliance Fresh Store’s Success Story
Reliance Fresh launched a “Train – and – Hire Model” to hire large numbers of non‐
supervisory sales staff, for their upcoming stores of Reliance Fresh.
They have tie‐ups with local institutes, NGOs, universities like AIMA, IGNOU etc and ask them
to run short‐term Retail Management courses where
• The first month of the course be a Classroom Training;
• Second month include 15 days of classroom training and 15 days of store training.
• During the third month, each week contain 5 days of store training and 1 day of
classroom training.
After successful completion of the course, the institute would a training completion certificate
to the students and best students according to their criteria are also hired by them.
•
•
•
Cognizant’s Success Story
•
Cognizant does two programs:
• They identify prospective students in the 3rd year of their academics and provide them
internships during last six months where they put these students on their module,
projects and Trainings. Through this program by the time students complete their course
they are ready for the company.
• Mentorship Program where the employees of the Cognizant frequently visit the selected
students and engage them. This done before on boarding of the candidates. A proper
details of the mentors is maintained.

12. Initiatives Of The Future
Idea Incubation Center
Faculty Internships
Industry and Institutions
Research work
Publish Papers of Indian
Cases For Student Reference
Experiments With The
Curriculum