Degrees alone not enough to secure jobs, says Manpreet Singh Manna

“A degree alone is no longer sufficient to secure employment in an increasingly competitive professional environment. Students must develop practical skills, adaptability and industry readiness to improve their employability,” said Manpreet Singh Manna, executive director of GCC School and CEO of ATMC India.

Delivering the keynote address on ‘From Degrees to Deployability’ at the national summit ‘SEED – Skilling, Employability, Entrepreneurship and Development’, organised by the Kousali Institute of Management Studies (KIMS), Karnatak University in Dharwad on Saturday, he said there was a considerable gap between academic qualifications and the skills required by employers.

He urged MBA and MCom students to develop curiosity, agility and practical knowledge rather than depend entirely on academic curricula. He outlined four key areas of action to bridge the gap between education and employability.

Mr. Manna said the growth of Global Capability Centres (GCCs) was creating employment opportunities for fresh graduates, including those from tier-II cities. Recruitment in these centres was no longer restricted to engineering graduates, and management students too had opportunities.

Noting that Karnataka had emerged as an important destination for the GCCs, he said Dharwad also had the potential to benefit from this growth. He called for stronger industry-academia collaboration and redesigning degree programmes to meet changing industry requirements.

Professional bodies could help connect educational institutions with industry, he added. Guest of honour Rotarian Lenny Da Costa urged students to apply their education in everyday life and highlighted the importance of continuous learning, citing Google CEO Sundar Pichai as an example.

National Institute of Personnel Management president Basavaraj P.R. said language should not be a barrier to professional achievement, recalling his education in Kannada-medium. He encouraged students to develop an entrepreneurial outlook and participate in professional associations.

National Human Resource Development Network secretary Naganagowda S.J. said job profiles could undergo considerable changes by 2030. Students should continuously upgrade their skills and create opportunities, he said. Presiding over the programme, Registrar Aravind Karibasanagoudar appreciated the initiative.

Nandeesh Hiremath, Uttamkumar Kinange, Rani Kale, Pushpa Hongal and N. Ramanjaneyalu were present.