The Future Skills Forum 2025 marked a significant milestone as it celebrated five years of the Future Right Skills Network (FRSN) and reinforced its commitment to strengthening India’s Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). As a dedicated initiative focused on enhancing technical training and bridging industry-academia gaps, FRSN continues to initiate improvements in ITI education, skilling, and employability.
The event brought together government bodies, industry leaders, training institutions, and academia to explore innovative strategies for modernizing ITI training, aligning it with Industry 4.0, and making it more industry-driven. With a focus on advanced training methodologies, industry collaborations, and skill development frameworks, the forum underscored the critical role of ITIs in building a future-ready workforce for India’s evolving economic landscape.
The role of ITIs in workforce development
ITIs have long been the backbone of India’s vocational education system, equipping students with hands-on skills for various industries. However, with rapid advancements in automation, AI, and digital manufacturing, ITIs must evolve to meet emerging industry demands. The forum highlighted key initiatives aimed at upgrading ITI curriculum, modernizing training infrastructure, and fostering industry-academia partnerships to ensure students are equipped for the jobs of the future.
Laying emphasis on qualitative improvements in skilling in ITIs, Ms. Trishaljit Sethi (Director General of Training, MSDE) and Mr. Nilambuj Sharan (Economic Advisor, MSDE) commended FRSN’s efforts in working alongside CSOs, NSTIs, ITIs, industry partners, and state governments to create a more effective skilling ecosystem.
FRSN’s key focus areas for ITI training enhancement
- Enhancing personalized learning experiences through technology-driven training modules
- Employability skills development to ease the transition from education to the workforce
- Inclusive digital resources to empower women in their skilling journeys
- Continuous professional development for ITI teachers and trainers to improve training quality
Key Discussions and Takeaways
1. Curriculum modernization and industry relevance
- Need for updated ITI curricula that integrate Industry 4.0 technologies such as AI, robotics, and advanced manufacturing.
- Emphasis on interactive learning and practical exposure to bridge the gap between education and industry needs.
- Short-term industry engagement programs to ensure students develop real-world problem-solving skills.
2. Strengthening industry partnerships
- Collaboration between ITIs and industries through apprenticeships, faculty training, and co-developed courses.
- Addressing salary gaps despite similar job profiles in blue-collar and white-collar sectors.
- Expanding the role of Work-Integrated Learning Units (WILUs) to combine theoretical knowledge with hands-on training.
3. Leveraging technology for training
- Training-of-Trainers (ToT) programs to continuously upskill ITI faculty.
- Inclusive skilling approaches, particularly focusing on digital resources for women, ensuring equitable access to technical training.
- Adoption of AR/VR-based simulations and e-learning platforms for modernizing technical training.
4. Impact of skilling initiatives across India
- FRSN’s initiatives have covered 10 focused states while influencing over 19 states, driving large-scale skill transformation.
- 2,471 ITIs, 4,686 trainers and placement officers trained, benefiting thousands of youth nationwide.
- Emphasis on scalable models of industry-academia collaboration for sustainable skill development.
A five-year commitment to ITI upgradation and industry integration
As part of its long-term strategy for ITI upgradation, MSDE will work with key stakeholders to:
- Strengthen industry-aligned curricula in ITIs to meet evolving job market demands.
- Expand trainer development programs with a focus on digital fluency and pedagogical innovations.
- Promote AI literacy and future-ready skills to enhance employability for ITI graduates.
- Support state-level skilling initiatives to ensure localized and scalable impact.
- Modernize ITI training infrastructure with cutting-edge tools and learning resources.
- Encourage industry partnerships to co-develop curricula and establish industry-backed certification programs.
Policy support and government initiatives
The forum also shed light on recent government initiatives aimed at strengthening ITI ecosystems, such as:
- The Skill India Mission
- Integration of the National Credit Framework (NCrF) in vocational education
- Funding support for infrastructure upgrades
These policy measures are expected to accelerate ITI modernization and ensure better employability outcomes for students.
Also read: Future Right Skills Network (FRSN): Preparing ITIs for Future of Work
Launch of key initiatives by MSDE and FRSN
MSDE, in collaboration with FRSN, launched two major initiatives at the Future Skills Forum 2025:
- Trainer Development Resource Hub: A centralized digital platform designed to upskill ITI trainers continuously.
- ‘Introduction to AI’ Digital Lessons: A blended module available in English, Gujarati, Hindi, and Tamil, developed to introduce ITI students to foundational AI concepts, aligning ITI education with the evolving job market.
These initiatives aim to enhance trainer capacity and integrate emerging technologies into vocational education, further bridging the gap between traditional training and modern industry needs.
The Future Skills Forum 2025 reinforced the critical role of ITIs in shaping India’s skilled workforce for Industry 4.0. With technology-driven learning, industry collaborations, and continuous skill enhancement, ITIs are poised to become the backbone of India’s technical education ecosystem. As government, industry, and academia come together, the transformation of ITI training into a future-ready, aspirational career pathway will accelerate innovation, employability, and national economic growth.
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