Odisha’s Green Revolution: Why industrial growth risks an employment crisis

In the industrial heartlands of Angul and Jharsuguda, a quiet crisis is unfolding within the classrooms of Odisha’s vocational institutes.

While thousands of students continue to train for traditional roles in thermal power plants and government factories, the economy for which they are preparing is rapidly shrinking.

A landmark study by the International Forum for Environment, Sustainability and Technology (iFOREST) warns of a widening chasm between the state's booming green investment pipeline and the readiness of its local workforce, as reported by The New Indian Express.

While the state is successfully attracting multi-billion-pound investments in renewable energy and electric mobility, the jobs created by these projects risk being filled by “outsiders” due to a lack of local technical expertise.

The “Silent Churn” of the Labour Market

The transition is no longer a distant prospect. Between 2023 and 2025 alone, Odisha’s planned green projects, ranging from solar parks to green hydrogen hubs, are expected to generate nearly 100,000 new jobs. By 2030, this figure could swell to 1 million vacancies across 28 diverse value chains, including battery storage, bioenergy, and the circular economy.

However, the definition of a “green job” is often misunderstood.

“These are not just office roles in environmental organisations,” the report clarifies.

Instead, they are high-stakes frontline positions: technicians installing 7.5 GW of solar capacity, mechanics specialising in electric vehicle (EV) repair, and engineers managing complex green hydrogen infrastructure.

A Structural Mismatch

Despite the state’s extensive network of Government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and polytechnics, the iFOREST survey of more than 500 students and dozens of employers reveals a “structural breakdown”:

Awareness Gap: Nearly 50% of students are unaware that dedicated green courses even exist.

Enrolment Crisis: Only 7% of students are currently enrolled in green-sector training.

Hands-on Deficit: Employers consistently report that even recent graduates lack the practical safety training and familiarity with modern tools required for battery handling and renewable energy installation.

Scale Mismatch: In 2024–25, while nearly 98,000 jobs were entering the pipeline, fewer than 2,000 candidates were trained in green roles under national flagship schemes such as PMKVY 4.0.

The Double Challenge of a “Just Transition”

Odisha faces a unique double challenge. While it must prepare its youth for the future, it must also protect hundreds of thousands of families currently dependent on coal mining and carbon-intensive metals.

Districts such as Talcher, Ib Valley, and Sundargarh stand at the crossroads of two futures: one marked by successful reskilling into emerging industries, and another characterised by economic decline and forced migration.

The Path Forward

To prevent industrial growth from bypassing local communities, the report suggests a fundamental shift in policy. Experts are calling for “legally linked” training, under which large green energy developers would be mandated to partner with local ITIs to co-train and certify workers before projects are commissioned.

The state government has begun to respond, recently earmarking Rs 500 crore to upgrade five ITIs into Centres of Advanced Technical Training under the new Utkarsh ITI Yojana. These hubs will focus on Industry 4.0 skills, including additive manufacturing and industrial robotics.

“Growth is happening,” the study concludes, “but for it to benefit Odisha’s youth, jobs must arrive alongside a workforce that is ready to perform them.”

Without a live “Green Jobs–Skills Dashboard” and an urgent pivot in vocational education, Odisha’s green revolution may be powered by its land, but built by workers from elsewhere.