India adds close to eight million young people to its workforce every year. What happens to them next — whether they find real, sustainable work or drift through informal jobs — depends heavily on how seriously employers take skilling. On World Youth Skills Day, that question feels less like a slogan and more like a business decision.

We spoke to leaders across steel, banking, education and facilities management to understand what they're actually doing on the ground — not the CSR-brochure version, but the training centres, the partnerships, the numbers. Their comments follow below.

Pankaj Kumar Sharma, CEO, Vedanta Iron and Steel Ltd
"The youth of our Nation are the driving force behind India's growth story, and investing in their skills is an investment in the nation's future. At VISL, our approach to skilling goes beyond employment by enabling aspiration, nurturing potential and creating pathways to long-term socio-economic progress. Across our operating regions, we are empowering youth through technical education, digital learning, entrepreneurship and sports, helping them build meaningful careers while contributing to the vision of a Viksit Bharat."

Adrian Hirst, Regional Director – India & South Asia, Education New Zealand 
"Preparing young people for the future is no longer just about building technical expertise, it is about developing the curiosity, adaptability and global perspective needed to navigate an increasingly interconnected world. At Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao, we believe these capabilities are shaped through meaningful learning experiences, where learning is a shared journey of exchanging knowledge, perspectives and ideas. By combining academic excellence with research, innovation and real-world learning, New Zealand empowers students to become more confident, adaptable, future-ready leaders who can collaborate across cultures, tackle complex global challenges and create lasting impact. Our focus is not simply on where education takes students, but on who they become through the journey."

Nusrat Pathan, Head – CSR, HDFC Bank
"India's demographic dividend presents a unique opportunity to build a more inclusive and resilient future. On World Youth Skills Day, it is important to recognise that equipping young people with industry-relevant skills, digital capabilities, and livelihood opportunities is essential to unlocking their full potential. Skill development is not only about enhancing employability; it is also about building confidence, enabling economic independence, and creating pathways to sustainable livelihoods. At HDFC Bank Parivartan, we believe that investing in the aspirations of young people strengthens families, communities, and the nation as a whole. Through our skilling initiatives, we have trained over 9.6 lakh individuals, helping them build relevant capabilities and improve their livelihood prospects. Through our initiatives, we are committed to expanding access to quality skilling, entrepreneurship, and meaningful livelihood opportunities. By empowering the next generation, we aim to help young people realise their aspirations while contributing to India's economic growth and fostering a more equitable and sustainable future."

Dharmvir Singh, Country Head, Technique Control Facility Management
"For an Integrated Facility Management (IFM) firm like ours, World Youth Skills Day is a timely reminder that the future of facilities management will not only be shaped by smarter buildings alone, but also by the smarter, more skilled people who manage them. As technology continues to transform our industry, capabilities such as digital operations, predictive maintenance, sustainability, and customer experience are no longer differentiators; they are essential to delivering resilient, future-ready workplaces. For us, building talent is as important as building the business. Real capability is created through continuous learning, practical exposure, and the agility to adapt to evolving customer and workplace needs. This is the philosophy behind our Gurukul, our state-of-the-art training centre at TCFM, operating across five states, where our trainers are preparing teams not just for the requirements of today, but for the future of IFM."

Rajeev Ranjan, Managing Director, McDonald's India – North & East
"This World Youth Skills Day, the theme, 'Skills for a Shared Future,' reinforces the important role employers play in preparing young people for the future. Beyond creating jobs, businesses have the opportunity to build skills, confidence and real-world experience that help bridge the gap between education and industry. At McDonald's India – North & East, we believe a first job is more than just employment—it is the foundation for lifelong learning. With nearly 80% of our workforce under the age of 24, we are committed to helping young people develop workplace and life skills that stay with them throughout their careers. Through McDonald's for Youth, we have empowered more than 2,500 young people with meaningful employment and structured on-the-job learning, while investing over 90,000 hours every year in developing our managers to coach and mentor them. As India progresses towards the vision of Viksit Bharat, empowering youth with industry-relevant skills will be key to building an inclusive, future-ready workforce."