GESIA IT Association and Wadhwani Foundation co-hosted a closed-door HR Roundtable in Ahmedabad, bringing together senior HR leaders and talent decision-makers from across Gujarat’s dynamic industry landscape. The event focused on actionable strategies to build job-ready local talent pipelines that support sustainable hiring and long-term workforce retention.<\/p>\n
Titled \u201cBuilding Job-Ready Local Talent for Sustainable Hiring in Gujarat,\u201d the roundtable examined the widening gap between academic output and industry expectations; a challenge particularly acute at entry and mid-skill levels that underpin Gujarat\u2019s growth across manufacturing, MSMEs, services, and emerging technology sectors.<\/p>\n
The session offered a rare, Gujarat-first forum for HR practitioners to engage candidly with peers, share on-ground hiring realities, and co-develop collaborative models that align education, skilling, and recruitment outcomes.<\/p>\n
Discussions explored current mismatches between local talent supply and on-ground industry requirements, identifying priority skills expected to shape workforce demand over the next two to three years, and examining collaboration models that can better align industry, academia, government, and skilling institutions.<\/p>\n
Reflecting on the broader context behind the convening,\u00a0Satyarth Srivastava, Honorary Chairman and Director, GESIA\u00a0emphasized the growing need for stronger alignment between talent development and industry realities, noting:\u00a0\u201cGujarat\u2019s growth trajectory is being powered by its industries, but sustaining this momentum requires stronger alignment between local talent development and real industry needs. This roundtable is an opportunity to bring HR leaders together to collectively address retention challenges and strengthen the state\u2019s workforce ecosystem.\u201d<\/p>\n
Underscoring the long-term workforce implications for the state,\u00a0Sunil Dahiya, Executive Vice President, Wadhwani Skilling, highlighted the importance of industry-relevant skill readiness, stating: \u201cGujarat\u2019s economic success has always been rooted in its entrepreneurial spirit and strong industry base. The next phase of growth depends on ensuring that local youth are equipped with skills that match evolving industry demands.\u201d<\/p>\n
The session was held at the Ahmedabad Management Association, as a closed-door exchange to enable candid insights from participating HR leaders on actionable solutions tailored to the Gujarat ecosystem.<\/p>\n