Corporate India has responded positively to the Government's call for playing a bigger role in skill development. The challenges and opportunities of skill development in India were discussed elaborately at the National Industry Conclave on Skill held in Mumbai recently.

Addressing a press conference at the end of the conclave, Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu said that skilling the youth is the biggest challenge in India.

He said the number of vocationally trained people in India is only 5.3%, as against 70-90% in countries like Japan, South Korea and Western Europe. Naidu said, in the areas of skill development we have to take care of school dropouts, college dropouts, graduates and post graduates, engineering, vocational skills, agriculture and allied activities, craft and self-help groups.

The Minister stressed on the importance of imparting right skills for the youth and urged industry leaders to help in establishing at least one skill development centre in each of the districts of India. "Youth are the future of our country, they have aspirations and we have to come together to fulfill their aspirations" he said.

Stating that private sector employment and self-employment are the future avenues for the youth, Naidu asked the industrialists to come forward and adopt ITIs (Industrial Training Institutes) across the country.

Naidu informed media persons that almost all the corporate leaders pledged their help in bridging the skill gap. He said the industry requested the government to establish central mechanism of certification of skilled workers. They also demanded establishment of training schools for the trainers, Mr. Naidu added.