Leaders highlighted collaboration, inclusivity, and innovation as key to preparing India’s workforce for 2030

Bengaluru, India, 5th November 2025, ZEX PR WIRE– The inaugural edition of the Bengaluru Skill Summit 2025 opened today at The Lalit Ashok, Bengaluru, marking the beginning of a two-day dialogue on workforce innovation and future readiness. Shri Siddaramaiah, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Karnataka graced the inaugural event joined by Shri D. K. Shivakumar, Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, and Dr. Sharanaprakash R. Patil, Hon’ble Minister for Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood, Government of Karnataka and Medical Education.

The Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood (SDEL) is spearheading this initiative to enhance employability and build future-ready skills. The summit is hosted by the Karnataka Skill Development Corporation (KSDC) in collaboration with the Karnataka Skill Development Authority (KSDA), with the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) as the Knowledge Partner while the event is managed by Trescon Global Business Solutions Pvt.Ltd. It highlights Karnataka’s progressive journey in empowering its youth workforce through innovation and skill-driven initiatives, while also serving as a platform to explore global partnerships and employment opportunities.  Notably, Germany joins as the Country Partner for this edition of the summit.

The inauguration ceremony commenced with a vibrant cultural performance under Karnataka Rajyotsava Sadagara. Smt. Shivakantamma (Kanta) Naik, Chairperson, Karnataka Skill Development Corporation and Karnataka Vocational Training & Skill Development Corporation, delivered the welcome address.

Guests of Honour included The Hon. Muhammad Reza Cassam Uteem, Minister of Labour and Industrial Relations, Republic of Mauritius; Shri Priyank Kharge, Hon’ble Minister for Rural Development & Panchayat Raj and Information Technology & Biotechnology, Government of Karnataka; Shri Sharanabasappa Darshanapur; Minister for Small Scale Industries and Public Enterprises, Government of Karnataka; Dr. Manjunath Bhandary, Hon’ble Member of the Legislative Council (MLC), Government of Karnataka; Shri Radhakrishna Doddamani, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Kalaburagi Lok Sabha Constituency;His Excellency Dr. Philipp Ackermann, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to India — who addressed the gathering virtually; Dr. E. V. Ramana Reddy, IAS (R), Chairman, Karnataka Skill Development Authority; and Shri Ashutosh Gupta, Managing Director – India and Asia Pacific, Coursera.

Shri Siddaramaiah, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Karnataka during his remarkable speech highlighted, “Skill is not built in a day, it’s a product of patience , perseverance, and continuous learning. He urged students to stay consistent, noting that motivation gets you started, but consistency keeps you growing. Karnataka has always been at the forefront of skilling, being among the first states in India to set up a dedicated Department of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship in 2016/17.”

“The Kaushalya Karnataka Yojana took skill development to every corner of the state, surpassing the initial target of training 5 lakh youth. Under the Yuga program, over 1 lakh youth were trained in IT, electronics, and animation, ensuring Karnataka’s lead in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Karnataka government empowers, enables, and uplifts the youth of the future nation. 

“Karnataka aims to become the Skill Capital of India and a 1 trillion economy by 2032, powered by talent, technology, and tenacity. The world looks out to Karnataka not only for innovation but for inspiration. Every thought, every heart, and every hand will build the Karnataka of our dreams.” he added.

Highlighting the noble initiative undertaken by Dr. Sharanaprakash R. Patil, Shri D. K. Shivakumar, Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka stated, “Wherever innovation happens, Karnataka has always led first. The state has consistently set benchmarks in various sectors. The State of Karnataka is open for discussions, collaborations, and knowledge sharing to strengthen the ecosystem of skill and innovation. The long-term global partnerships, especially with German institutions, have been key to Karnataka’s ongoing success story in innovation and skill development and it will keep growing under the current government’s initiative to skill & upskill the youth workforce.”

Dr. E. V. Ramana Reddy, IAS (R),Chairman – Karnataka Skill Development Authority (KSDA) said “Bengaluru Skill Summit strengthens our ‘Workforce 2030’ vision — a roadmap where scale, systems, and synergy come together. By aligning Karnataka’s skilling strategy with global benchmarks, we are preparing young minds to navigate and lead in a rapidly evolving economy.”

Sanjeev Gupta, CEO of Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) said, “Karnataka has always been at the forefront of connecting talent with opportunity – from nurturing India’s IT capital to now shaping the AI Workforce of 2030. The Government of Karnataka’s forward-looking skilling initiatives are bridging the crucial gap between education and employability by integrating industry, academia, and technology. At Karnataka Digital Economy Mission, our focus is on building a future-ready talent ecosystem, one that equips every youth, from Bengaluru to the Beyond Bengaluru clusters, to thrive in an AI-augmented economy. The Bengaluru Skill Summit 2025 exemplifies our vision of a scalable and synergistic talent ecosystem that empowers every youth, not just in Bengaluru, but across all clusters, to thrive in an AI-driven economy. This Summit transcends showcasing progress – it charts an inclusive and innovative pathway for India to lead the world in workforce development and global employability. It also aims to encourage employers to get closely connected with academia and the participation of Industry on Campus going high up is the aspiration here”

Over the next two days, the Bengaluru Skill Summit will host a dynamic series of conference sessions featuring renowned industry leaders, including Subroto Bagchi, Co-Founder of Mindtree and Former Chairman of the Odisha Skill Development Authority; B. V. R. Subrahmanyam, IAS (R), Chief Executive Officer, NITI Aayog; and Ravi Venkatesan, Chairman of the Global Energy Alliance and Former Chairman of Microsoft India and Bank of Baroda. These thought leaders will share their insights on the future of workforce development, emerging skill trends, and Karnataka’s pivotal role in shaping India’s skilling revolution.

Day 2 and 3 of the summit promise an engaging lineup of activities, including insightful roundtables, keynote addresses, the Skillathon Finals, the Kaushalya Karnataka Awards, and vibrant cultural performances. Discussions across the two days will revolve around key themes such as ‘Karnataka’s Dialogue on Local Skills for Global Opportunities’, ‘Green Skills for a Sustainable Future’, ‘Global Best Practices in Skilling’, ‘Building Tomorrow’s Skills Today’, ‘Country Partner Session by German Missions in India’, ‘Advancing Automation for Industry 4.0’, and ‘Karnataka as the Skills Gateway to the World’, among other areas of strategic focus.

For more details and updates, visit www.bengaluruskillsummit.com.

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