BHUBANESWAR: “Transformation for us is not a choice; it’s a necessity. Our youth must be future-ready,” said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik while inaugurating a two-day ‘Nua Odisha Global Summit on Growth and Employment’ on Monday. Patnaik highlighted the importance of swiftly adapting to the new dimensions of the socio-economic structure in the age of rapidly changing technology.

The first Nua Odisha Global Summit aims to understand trends and set a clear path for the future of Odia youth. The Chief Minister expressed his hope that the summit would lay the foundation for identifying potential growth sectors, future workforce strategies, innovative job creation opportunities, and the development of skills for upcoming industries in Odisha.

Patnaik called for industry leaders and key stakeholders to come together and deliberate on strategies that will shape the destiny of the state’s workforce, propelling Odisha towards unprecedented prosperity. The Chief Minister believes that unlocking Odisha’s vast potential and creating an economically vibrant and socially inclusive future is possible through collaboration.

The summit will primarily focus on understanding future growth sectors in industries and skills and suggest necessary skill training for the youth to make them future-ready in the global job market. Various industry representatives and stakeholders will participate in the summit.

Skill Development and Technical Education Minister Pritiranjan Gharai stated that the summit would help youngsters acquire the appropriate skills needed to stay ahead of others. VK Pandian, 5T and Nabin Odisha chairman, highlighted the state’s aspiration to compete on a global level and stated that the summit is a step towards achieving this goal.

The two-day event will cover various themes including the transition from campus to career, logistics and the supply chain industry, IT/ITes industries, and fireside chats with successful entrepreneurs.