The Department of Commerce of Kaveri College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Pune organized a guest lecture under the series Industry Youth Connect 2026 titled “Reality Check: Industry Expectations Every Gen Z Must Know.” The session was conducted on 14th March 2026. The event featured eminent speakers CA Sanket Shet (Partner), CA Jaykumar Vaswani (Director), and CA Kalpesh Patwa (Senior Manager) from Deloitte Haskins & Sells LLP. The program aimed to bridge the gap between academic learning and industry expectations by providing students with insights into the evolving corporate world.
At the beginning of the session, the resource persons emphasized the importance of upskilling and reskilling in today’s dynamic professional environment. They explained that the modern workplace values individuals who constantly learn and upgrade their skills. Students were encouraged to develop an entrepreneurial mindset, which involves being proactive, innovative, and open to exploring opportunities. The speakers also highlighted the need to cultivate a problem-solving mindset, where individuals focus on identifying issues, analyzing facts, and developing practical solutions rather than merely memorizing theoretical concepts.
The speakers further discussed the significance of developing strong habits such as discipline, time management, punctuality, and consistency, which are essential for professional success. They emphasized that integrity is a non-negotiable value in the corporate world, as organizations expect employees to demonstrate honesty, accountability, and ethical behaviour in all professional responsibilities. According to the speakers, employers today look beyond academic marks and focus more on attitude, reliability, communication skills, and the ability to adapt to change.
During the lecture, the resource persons also highlighted emerging career trends and explained that while technology and AI are transforming jobs, they are also creating new opportunities for those who are willing to learn and adapt. Students were encouraged to build both technical skills such as data analysis, digital tools, and business research, as well as human skills like teamwork, communication, and leadership. They stressed that industry values individuals who can take ownership of their work, collaborate effectively, and continuously improve themselves.
Towards the end of the session, an interactive question and answer session was conducted, which proved to be very engaging and insightful. Students actively participated by asking questions related to career opportunities, industry expectations, and skill development. The speakers addressed the queries with practical examples and valuable guidance, which helped students gain a clearer understanding of the corporate environment.
The session concluded with an inspiring message that while academic degrees are important, skills, attitude, and consistent effort play a greater role in shaping a successful career. The lecture proved to be highly insightful for students as it provided a realistic understanding of industry expectations and motivated them to prepare themselves for the challenges of the corporate world.
