GAN Global advances regional skills agenda through flagship South Asia event

As part of its ongoing work to strengthen skills systems and promote quality apprenticeships across South Asia, GAN Global, together with the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) and with support from the European Union (EU), co-hosted a major regional convening in New Delhi on June 27-28 2024.
The event, Developing and Upgrading Skills in South Asia for the Manufacturing and Industrial Sectors, marked a significant milestone within the multi-country project Promoting Skills Through Quality Apprenticeships with Employers and Business Organizations.

Bringing together more than 47 high-level stakeholders from government, industry, training institutions, and employers’ organizations across South Asia, the Caribbean, East Africa, and Southeast Asia, the two‑day gathering advanced the dialogue on future‑ready skills, employer‑led training models, and the need for stronger national systems for work-based learning (WBL).

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A platform for GAN leadership in the region

GAN Global’s Executive Director Kathryn Rowan opened the event alongside representatives from the Government of India, IOE, ILO, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and the Employers Federation of India (EFI). Across keynote sessions, panel discussions, and the India best‑practice showcase, GAN emphasized its core mission: supporting employers and business networks to adopt and champion quality apprenticeships and industry-aligned WBL pathways that prepare youth for productive, long-term careers.

Throughout the event, GAN Global highlighted:

• The value of employer-led apprenticeships in building skilled, competitive workforces
• The importance of collaborative approaches between employers, government, and training providers
• The need for inclusive skilling systems that reach disadvantaged groups
• The critical role of multi-stakeholder networks, such as GAN, in scaling successful practices across regions

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India as a regional reference point: Innovation in apprenticeships and WBL

Day 1 positioned India as a hub of promising practices, with government and private‑sector actors highlighting the country’s decade-long efforts to modernize skills development and integrate apprenticeships into higher education. During the best‑practice panel moderated by GAN Global, members Bühler, dsm‑firmenich, and Nestlé shared concrete examples of:

• Building talent pipelines through structured apprenticeship programmes
• Reducing recruitment costs and increasing retention
• Expanding opportunities for women and youth in STEM and vocational trades
• Strengthening trust in WBL through community outreach, mentorship, and partnerships with government and training institutions

Stakeholders discussed ongoing challenges, such as safety, supervisor training, inclusion, gender diversity, but also reaffirmed the private sector’s commitment to driving meaningful change.

A site visit to Hero MotoCorp Ltd gave participants an insider look into how Indian industry leaders are implementing large‑scale upskilling strategies and employee‑engagement models.

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Day 2: Advocacy, financing, and building resilient skills ecosystems

Day 2 shifted to action planning, with discussions led by the ILO, national skills agencies, private-sector leaders, and global experts. Key themes included:

• Mobilizing sustainable financing models, including lifelong learning funds
• Strengthening public–private partnerships for curriculum design
• Recognizing prior learning to address stigma and improve training pathways
• Expanding access for vulnerable groups, including rural youth, women, people with disabilities, and informal‑sector workers

A workshop facilitated by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) supported participants in developing country‑specific action plans and identifying regional avenues for collaboration.

These collective insights fed directly into the policy review released by GAN Global and IOE, ensuring that private‑sector perspectives are embedded in national and regional skills strategies.

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Driving forward a regional movement for quality apprenticeships

This event demonstrates the growing momentum across South Asia to upgrade TVET, strengthen industry-led training models, and build adaptable, future-ready workforces.

With strong collaboration from IOE, regional employer federations, and the EU, this initiative contributes to a broader movement to expand sustainable and industry-aligned training systems that benefit young people, employers, and economies alike.