We must come up with new ideas, path-breaking strategies on skilling, reskilling and up-skilling for those who are not a part of the formal education system: Dharmendra Pradhan

New Delhi : After a successful three-day run that threw light on the future of work and HR trends, the IFTDO 2022 World Conference & Exhibition in New Delhi concluded on May 21, 2022.

Witnessing over 600 participants from India and eight other countries, including Nigeria, USA, Ireland, Oman, Egypt, Mauritius, and Bahrain, the Conference witnessed insights and inputs from Indian and international stalwarts in business and human resources.

It was inaugurated by Hon’ble Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla and Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Hon’ble Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Housing & Urban Affairs, who are the Conference’s patrons.

The Union Minister of Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, while delivering the valedictory address, touched upon the role of technology as an enabler as well as a disruptor in the society and economy. He said that in view of a rapidly changing world, we must prepare our workforce to be ready for the challenges of the 21st century through a holistic skilling strategy.

Mr. Pradhan also spoke about the National Education Policy (NEP) and its impetus on creating synergy between education and skilling. He said that while NEP that has come after 32 years, covers students from ages 3 to 23 in the formal education system. He added that we must also come up with new ideas, path-breaking strategies on skilling, reskilling and up-skilling for those who are not a part of the formal education system.

“The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given importance to the continuous capacity building process. Technology will be a massive disruptor in our lives. A sizable section of jobs are lost, and we need to enhance our capacity through training which is a continuous process. We have to plan how to strategize for the future,” he added.

Dr. Ranjan Kumar Mohapatra, President IFTDO, and Director (HR), Indian Oil Corporation Limited said, in his valedictory address summarized “The key takeaway of this Conference has been capability training. The Capacity Building Commission set up by the PM as well as the NEP would direct the way education should be handled in India.”

He had earlier said, “We have been deliberating upon the changing dynamics of workforce for many years. However, the face of pandemic, doing business has changed. Now is the time to move from the traditional form of leadership and create digital leaders. While there have been disruption, it also brings in diversity, which leaders to more effective ideas and their implementation. Transitioning to the new horizons is the new normal. The onus is on us to achieve a talented and agile workforce.”

The three day conference was concluded with Dr Ranjan Kumar Mohapatra handing over the IFTDO president-ship to Dr Helmi Sallam of IFTDO Egypt. The golden jubilee edition of IFTDO 2023 will take place in Cairo, Egypt.

IFTDO 2022 was organized by the Indian Society for Training and Development (ISTD) in collaboration with National Human Resource Development (NHRD) and the Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE). Other associates are Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and United Nations Global Compact (UNGC).