The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers – SIAM successfully hosted a workshop under its विद्युतीकरण (Electrification) initiative, themed “Charging Ahead – Empowering an EV-Ready Workforce in India’s Automobile Sector,” in New Delhi, focusing on identifying and addressing the skills gap in India’s Electric Vehicle sector. The workshop was graced by the Chief Guest, Shri H. D. Kumaraswamy, Hon’ble Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Steel, Government of India, and featured a line-up of eminent speakers, including government officials, industry leaders, policymakers, and other key stakeholders. Their insights on the critical need for a skilled workforce to support the rapidly growing EV industry were quite enlightening for the audiences.

SIAM has been driving the transition towards sustainable transportation through initiatives like the electrification of mobility (विद्युतीकरण), promoting ethanol in transport (जैविक पहल), improving recycling (चक्रीयता), bringing safety through Safe Journey (सुरक्षित सफर), developing gas-based mobility infrastructure (गैस गतिशीलता), and fostering the hydrogen fuel ecosystem (हरित हाइड्रोजन).

The SIAM workshop began with a lamp lighting ceremony followed by the launch of a report prepared by SIAM and Deloitte as knowledge partner: ‘SIAM EV Talent Landscape in India: Bridging the Skill Gap for 2030’. The report was unveiled by Chief Guest, Shri H D Kumaraswamy, Hon’ble Union Minister of Heavy Industries & Steel, Government of India, in the august presence of senior government officials, industry leaders, and eminent experts from academia and institutes. The report provides a blueprint for meeting the industry’s evolving skill demands by 2030, and the technological competencies required to drive and foster innovations and excellence in the EV ecosystem. The report highlights a set of 40 technical competencies, broadly in the areas of EV battery, powertrain, regenerative braking, integration of software and hardware, EV after sales, etc. required for realizing India’s ambitious EV targets. It offers an actionable roadmap for stakeholders to invest in.

The inaugural session was themed “Workforce Skills for the Evolving EV Market”. Welcoming the dignitaries at the workshop, Prashant K Banerjee, Executive Director, SIAM, said, “SIAM is committed to economic growth, decarbonization, and road safety in India and is consistently promoting relevant initiatives to facilitate the country achieve ambitious EV targets. Our efforts are aimed at aiding government’s efforts towards environmental objectives while reshaping mobility.”

In his keynote address, Chief Guest, Shri H D Kumaraswamy, Hon’ble Union Minister of Heavy Industries & Steel, Government of India, said, “The EV sector in India is poised for significant growth in the coming years. Rapid technological advancements, however, necessitate a skilled workforce to achieve EV targets. Thus, training and education are the need of the hour to ensure sufficient talent for this burgeoning industry. The Ministry assures transparent administration and support to the Indian Auto Industry.”

While Stressing the importance of the Aatma-Nirbhar Bharat initiative, the Hon’ble Minister apprised about the recently launched scheme by the Ministry of Heavy Industry and Steel i.e. the Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme 2024 (EMPS 2024), aimed at accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles in India with a total outlay of INR 500 crore. He opined that localization will lead to innovations and skill development as well.

Speaking on the occasion, Guest of Honour Sudhendu J Sinha, Advisor, NITI Aayog, said, “Skilling the workforce is critical for making India from being an EV adoptive nation to being a manufacturing nation and global hub for electric mobility.”

In his special address, Guest of Honour, Dr. Hanif Qureshi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India, said, “Mapping the skills required for export-driven EV manufacturing and EV promotion in India is important. SIAM has done an exceptional job of identifying these necessary skills and the existing gaps in the industry. The government is committed to supporting the industry’s initiatives to ensure a skilled workforce to meet future demands.”

Addressing the workshop, Vinod Aggarwal, President SIAM and MD & CEO, VE Commercial Vehicles, said, “Our goal is not only to create a skilled workforce but to empower individuals to navigate the dynamic and evolving auto technology landscape. Together, we can charge ahead for a brighter, greener, and healthier future.”

Expressing his views, Shailesh Chandra, Vice President, SIAM, and MD, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles & Tata passenger Electric Mobility Ltd, said, “The Indian automotive sector is transforming with a significant push towards EVs. The industry aims to invest ₹80,000 crore to develop a robust EV ecosystem in the country. However, it would need 1-3 lakh skilled professionals to achieve EV goals by 2030, making this an opportune time to invest in skilling.”

Putting his thought on skilling requirements, Sushant Naik, Chairperson, SIAM Electric Mobility Group, and Global Head, Govt. & Public Affairs, Tata Motors, said, “India aims for 30% EV penetration by 2030 and is on the right path. The industry is seeing increased traction and rising sales, with 16 lakh EVs sold in 2023-24. To maintain this momentum, skilled professionals across domains are essential, necessitating concerted actions from key stakeholders.”

While concluding the session, Rajesh Menon, Director General, SIAM, expressed gratitude to Hon’ble Minister for extending his support to the Indian automobile industry. He also thanked other dignitaries for sharing their valuable insights and urged stakeholders to make concerted efforts towards skilling in the EV sector.

Thematic Session, titled “Framework for Action- Institutionalizing EV Skill Development,” was chaired by Manu Saxena, Co-chair, SIAM Electric Mobility Group and Sr. Vice President- Electric Vehicles, TVS Motor Company Ltd. The session included thematic presentations from Arindam Lahiri, CEO, Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC), and Dr Abhilasha Gaur, CEO, Electronics Sectors Skills Council of India (ESSCI) on “Framework for EV skill development in India: EV Tech, Battery Tech, and Charging Infra Tech”.

Dr. B K Panigrahi, Program Coordinator for IIT Delhi Certificate Programme on Fundamentals of EVs and Charging Infrastructure; Professor, Centre for Automotive Research and Tribology (CART), IIT Delhi, spoke on “EV Certificate programs in academia”, and Himansu Sekhar Panda, CEO, EV Skill Lab; MD & CEO, Skyy Skill Academy, spoke on “Training the EV workforce” gave engaging presentations. Vipin Surana, Co-Chair, SIAM Electric Mobility Group and Vice President, Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles Limited, also shared his thoughts during the session.

The workshop concluded on a high note with a rich exchange of ideas, best practices, and strategies, fostering a collaborative spirit between government officials and industry experts. There was a consensus on the need for ongoing dialogue and collaboration among all stakeholders to build a sustainable and skilled workforce for the EV industry. SIAM reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the growth of the EV sector and fostering an environment conducive to skill development and innovation.