Manpreet Singh Manna, the executive director of GCC School and CEO of ATMC India, stated that academic degrees are no longer enough to guarantee employment in today's competitive professional landscape. Speaking on Saturday at the 'SEED – Skilling, Employability, Entrepreneurship and Development' national summit, organized by the Kousali Institute of Management Studies (KIMS) at Karnatak University in Dharwad, Manna highlighted a significant gap between academic qualifications and the actual skills demanded by employers.
During his keynote address titled ‘From Degrees to Deployability,’ Manna encouraged MBA and MCom students to cultivate agility, curiosity, and practical knowledge. He outlined four primary areas of action to close the employability gap and advocated for the redesign of degree programs to align with evolving industry needs. He further suggested that professional bodies could play a vital role in connecting educational institutions with the industry.
Manna also noted that the rise of Global Capability Centres (GCCs) is opening new doors for fresh graduates, including those from tier-II cities. He pointed out that these opportunities are no longer limited to engineering graduates but extend to management students as well. He identified Karnataka as a key destination for GCCs and noted that Dharwad possesses the potential to benefit from this trend.
Additionally, guest of honor Rotarian Lenny Da Costa spoke at the event, urging students to implement their education in daily life and emphasizing the necessity of lifelong learning, citing Google CEO Sundar Pichai as an example.
