Lucknow: The APAC 6th National Skill Conclave was held in Lucknow on 23rd December 2025, marking a significant milestone in India’s journey towards becoming a global skill hub. The conclave was organized by the U.P. Skill Development Mission, Government of Uttar Pradesh, in association with APAC Media.
Centered on the theme ‘Envisioning India as the Skill Hub of the World,’ the conclave brought together senior administrators, policymakers, industry leaders, CHROs, learning and development (L&D) heads, higher education leaders, and technology experts from across the country. to deliberate on strengthening India’s skill ecosystem and preparing a future-ready workforce.
Dr. Hari Om, IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Vocational Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of Uttar Pradesh, underlined the importance of close collaboration between government, industry, and academia. He stressed that such partnerships are essential to build a strong and sustainable skill ecosystem. He also highlighted the UP’s focused efforts to skill youth at scale. He shared that the state is making steady progress through initiatives led by the Vocational Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Department, supported by national schemes such as Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDUGKY), training through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), and programs under the Uttar Pradesh Skill Development Mission (UPSDM).
Pulkit Khare, IAS, Mission Director, U.P. Skill Development Mission, stated that strengthening the skill ecosystem is critical to achieving the national goal of transforming India into a USD 5 trillion economy and Uttar Pradesh into a USD 1 trillion economy. He emphasized that a strong and industry-aligned skill framework will play a key role in positioning India as the Skill Capital of the world. According to him, skilling, upskilling, and reskilling are no longer optional but essential to ensure employability and economic growth.
The conclave also saw the presence of Abhishek Singh, IAS, Special Secretary, Department of Vocational Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of Uttar Pradesh.
Shrikant Sinha, CEO, Telangana Academy for Skill and Knowledge (TASK), Government of Telangana, and Ambika Patyal, General Manager, Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam Limited (HKRN), Government of Haryana, shared insights on state-level initiatives aimed at strengthening skill development and employment generation.
Shrikant spoke about innovative programs such as i4TS (Innovation for Telangana State), which focuses on nurturing future entrepreneurs by supporting them from the idea stage to venture creation. He also highlighted Telangana’s collaborative model of jointly designing skilling programs with industry partners to ensure relevance and employability.
Ambika discussed the On-the-Job Training (OJT) model adopted by the state to ensure strong job linkages. She also highlighted the importance of training of trainers with active industry support, which helps align training quality with industry expectations and emerging workforce needs.
Dr. Subi Chaturvedi, Member of the High-level UP Digital Economy Group and Global SVP, Chief Corporate Affairs and Public Policy Officer at InMobi, emphasized the need for agile and flexible collaboration among stakeholders. She introduced a new government-industry-academia collaboration framework called SAHYOG, describing it as a mindset shift that brings together youth and experience, technology and policy, and industry and academia.
The APAC 6th National Skill Conclave concluded with a shared commitment from all stakeholders to work together in building a resilient, inclusive, and future-ready skill ecosystem. The discussions reinforced the belief that collaborative action, innovation, and industry alignment will be key to empowering India’s youth and driving long-term economic growth.
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