Indian Staffing Federation

Increasing difficulty in matching supply and demand for jobs; how can companies go beyond?

BALASUBRAMANIAN SETHURAMAN

Head HR, Parekh Integrated Services Pvt Ltd

The Great Talent Mismatch: Why Industry and Academia Must Relearn Collaboration

Across every sector, a quiet crisis is unfolding — the growing mismatch between job supply and the skills available in the market. A recent global workforce study revealed that over 75% of employers struggle to find talent with the right skills, even as millions of job seekers remain unemployed or underemployed. It’s not a shortage of people; it’s a shortage of alignment.

Technology is evolving at a pace that education systems are struggling to match. Job roles are blending — a marketing professional today must understand analytics, design thinking, and AI-driven tools. Yet, many academic programs still operate within traditional silos. The result is a disconnect: graduates emerge well-qualified on paper but ill-equipped for real-world challenges.

To bridge this divide, industry and academia must move from collaboration to co-creation. This partnership can no longer be limited to guest lectures or campus placements; it needs to become a dynamic, continuous exchange.

1. Co-designing relevant curricula:

Industry leaders can offer valuable insights into emerging skills and technologies. When businesses and educators jointly design programs, students learn what the market truly needs — not what the syllabus prescribes. For instance, several forward-thinking universities now update course content annually with direct input from corporate partners.

2. Embedding practical learning:

Internships, live projects, and industry immersion programs make academic learning experiential. When students solve real business problems early, they develop adaptability — a skill more critical than any degree.

3. Shared learning infrastructure:

Setting up joint “industry labs” or digital capability centers helps both sides stay future-ready. Companies gain access to research and innovation, while institutions gain exposure to current tools and practices.

4. Continuous reskilling:

With most roles expected to evolve every 3–5 years, lifelong learning must become a shared mission. Organizations can extend their learning platforms to academia, creating a talent pipeline that is continuously refreshed.

The way forward is clear: education cannot prepare for the future alone, and industry cannot thrive without it. When both invest in each other, the gap between employability and employment narrows.

The true measure of success won’t be the number of graduates placed — but the number of lives empowered to learn, unlearn, and relearn in a world that never stops changing.

Increasing difficulty in matching supply and demand for jobs; how can companies go beyond?

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