National CHRO Roundtable: Skill Gap for Accelerating Energy Transition in India
Chief Human Resource Officer Round Table - Proceedings
1. Executive Summary
The National CHRO Round Table on "Skill Gap for Accelerating Energy Transition in India was organised to address the pressing human resource challenges within India renewable energy sector. Hosted by the National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI) in collaboration with the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), the event gathered key stakeholders from various sectors including industry leaders, institutions, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
The discussions revolved around aligning skill development with India's renewable energy targets, enhancing talent retention, creating an inclusive workforce, and leveraging best practices from other industries. Actionable insights were shared on how to improve workforce readiness, particularly in the emerging areas of solar, wind, and green hydrogen. The event concluded with a clear way forward, focusing on collaborative efforts between NSEFI, NISE, and other key
stakeholders.
2. Event Overview
Purpose: To discuss the human resource and skill development needs for the renewable energy sector, with a focus on achieving India's target of 500 GW of renewable energy capacity and fostering an inclusive and skilled workforce.
Date: 22.08.2024
Target Audience: Human Resource professionals, industry leaders, renewable energy experts, and policy advocates. Attendee Profile: 15+ MEMBERS including NSEFI members, industry partners, research organizations and capacity-building implementing agencies and councils.
3. Achievements
i. Collaborative Insights: The event successfully gathered key insights on talent
acquisition, workforce skilling, and industry-institution collaborations for renewable
energy.
ii. Data-Driven Approaches: Stakeholders emphasized the need for better data
consolidation and skill mapping to bridge gaps in workforce development.
iii. Focus on Women in the Workforce: Initiatives that actively engage and upskill
women in technical roles were highlighted, along with a commitment to create safer
and more inclusive workplaces.
iv. Industry-Driven Initiatives: Companies like Blupine and Avadaa shared innovative
practices, such as engaging sociologists to understand local workforce dynamics and
setting up technical training centers.
4. Panel Discussion
i. The panel discussion, moderated by **Mr. Shan (Everen)**, revolved around the
following key topics:
ii. Skill Development Alignment: How to align renewable energy sector skill
development with India’s 500 GW renewable energy target.
iii. Talent Retention and Upskilling: Strategies to retain skilled employees and provide
upskilling opportunities, especially in the areas of solar and wind energy.
iv. Inclusive Workforce: Encouraging participation of women and underrepresented
communities in technical roles, while addressing workplace safety concerns.
v. Best Practices: Mapping successful practices from industries such as the automotive sector to the renewable energy space.
vi. Collaborations with Academia: The importance of building partnerships with
universities and technical institutions to bridge skill gaps and widen the talent pool.
vii. Key speakers, such as Manisha Nair (Blupine) and Aman Attree (Avadaa), also
shared their organizations’ approaches to skilling and recruiting local talent, focusing
on building the capabilities of women in technical roles and emphasizing localized
training initiatives.
5. Event Success
The CHRO Round Table was a successful platform for:
a. Bringing together cross-sector stakeholders to discuss HR and skilling challenges
specific to the renewable energy industry.
b. Facilitating rich knowledge exchange on the challenges of developing and retaining a skilled workforce, with a specific focus on emerging areas such as green hydrogen and solar power.
c. Establishing the importance of collaboration between industries and educational
institutions to develop relevant, industry-specific skill sets.
6. Actionable Insights/Way Forward for NSEFI
i. Strengthen Collaboration between NSEFI, NISE, and SCGJ
ii. NSEFI should continue to work closely with NISE and SCGJ to establish new training programs focused on green energy technologies. This includes:
a. Customizing training programs based on industry needs.
b. Increasing awareness about existing certification programs and employment
schemes such as Surya Mitra.
c. Prioritize Data Consolidation and Skill Mapping: There is a need to develop
robust databases that map skill availability and gaps in the sector. This will
enable more targeted skilling initiatives and workforce deployment.
iii. Regional Training Centers: NSEFI should consider expanding training centers in key locations, such as Gujarat and Karnataka, in collaboration with local governments and industries. This will help in engaging local communities and creating more inclusive employment opportunities.
iv. Focus on Women’s Safety and Inclusion: Create specific programs to ensure a safe
working environment for women and support their inclusion in technical and
managerial roles. Partnering with NGOs and local governments can help ensure the
necessary infrastructure is in place.
v. Upskilling and Reskilling for Emerging Technologies: NSEFI should emphasize
upskilling and reskilling programs to address the needs of emerging technologies like
green hydrogen, PV manufacturing, and smart grid systems.
vi. Industry Accountability: Encourage industries to take greater accountability for
workforce development beyond compliance with CSR obligations. This includes
offering apprenticeships, ensuring transparency in employment schemes, and aligning with national skilling initiatives.
vii. Continuous Monitoring and Improvement: Establish mechanisms to monitor the
success of skill development programs, ensuring that participants are absorbed into
the workforce. Partnering with universities for curriculum development and
certification programs will further help in bridging the skill gap.
7. Way Forward:
The event concluded with the CEO, NSEFI’s Thanking note, emphasizing the importance of:
i. Enhancing communication systems for better data validation and coherence.
ii. Strengthening partnerships between industry and institutions for a more integrated
workforce.
iii. Developing advanced skills to prepare the workforce for future challenges in the
renewable energy sector.
