ICEMA Summit Targets India’s Construction Equipment Workforce Gap

The Indian Construction Equipment Manufacturers' Association (ICEMA), backed by the Ministry of Heavy Industries, held its third CE Human Capital Summit on Monday at Hotel Le Meridien, New Delhi. The event brought together senior executives, human resources professionals, and young industry entrants under the theme of skill development, productivity, technology, and innovation.

The summit opened with a CEO panel examining workforce strategy from an organisational leadership perspective. Speakers included Deepak Shetty, President of ICEMA and Managing Director of JCB India; V. Vivekanand, Managing Director of Caterpillar India; Dimitrov Krishnan, Managing Director of Volvo CE India; and Deepak Garg, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of SANY Heavy Industry India.

A dedicated session titled "Young Voices, Big Ideas" gave Gen Z professionals a platform to discuss evolving workplace expectations and career aspirations alongside senior HR leaders. The format reflected a broader industry focus on attracting and retaining younger talent as the sector undergoes technological change.

Cross-sector perspectives were introduced through a fireside chat with HR leaders from the automotive industry, highlighting convergences in talent strategy across manufacturing segments. Discussions also covered the implications of digital transformation and the growing need for continuous learning frameworks.

The summit concluded with a keynote address by former Indian hockey goalkeeper and national team coach Mir Ranjan Negi, who drew parallels between athletic resilience and organisational performance, emphasising trust, discipline, and collective purpose.