Yesterday’s headlines from Japan about raising starting wages to attract new workers might have passed off as a domestic labour story. But it’s far more than that. It’s the story of a larger shift—a demographic, social, and political reckoning that’s quietly unfolding across the developed world. Japan is struggling to keep factories running and services functioning as it faces a relentless shortage of workers. And Japan is not alone. The same symptoms are now visible across much of Europe—England, Germany, Italy—where political posturing on immigration is beginning to clash with economic reality.

In England, the effects are hard to miss. The National Health Service, once held up as a proud symbol of public welfare, is now in visible disarray. There’s a crippling shortage of doctors, nurses, and paramedics. Airport arrival halls in the UK offer a telling snapshot: unattended luggage belts, overstretched immigration counters, and long queues that test every passenger’s patience. It’s not the lack of money. It’s the lack of hands.

Germany, meanwhile, has tried its own fix. A well-publicised reskilling initiative aimed at repurposing the local population to take up blue-collar and support jobs has largely underperformed. The reason is simple: not every job can be filled by every person. Nursing, for instance, requires not just training but a temperament and a social attitude toward care. That cannot be built overnight with a crash course. And even in India, where population numbers are high and education infrastructure is widespread, states like Kerala stand out in producing skilled nurses—not because of a policy miracle, but due to decades of social ethos and investment in education.

The reality is that many societies in the developed world now look down upon jobs once seen as respectable: airport staff, sales assistants, taxi drivers, laundry operators, kitchen helpers. The pay is often low, the work demanding, and the societal perception dismissive. It’s not about skilling alone—it’s also about dignity of labour, and that’s a harder fix. You can’t push a society to fill roles they no longer believe are worth their while. In short, the current pool isn’t the horse for the course.

And that’s where India steps in—not just as a supplier of human capital, but as a potential global talent hub if we play our cards right. The government needs to move quickly to convert this challenge abroad into an opportunity at home. India already has the raw numbers: tens of thousands of doctors, engineers, nurses, technicians, and hotel management graduates are produced every year. But the bridge between being qualified and being employable in international markets is still underdeveloped.

What is needed is not more degrees, but finishing schools—real ones. Centres that focus on orientation, communication, hands-on simulations, grooming, and adaptability to new technology. This isn’t about teaching from textbooks; it’s about teaching for the job. The global workplace has changed. Expectations are different. People are different. Devices, systems, attitudes—all have moved on. We must train our people accordingly, or risk falling behind other Asian and African countries who are also eyeing the same window of opportunity.

Our technical colleges and polytechnic institutions already produce large volumes of talent. But many graduates today sit idle, unable to find suitable jobs in India. This is a mismatch of supply and demand, not of skill. The government’s role should be to connect these dots. Establish frameworks for global job mapping. Partner with countries that are facing labour shortfalls and sign placement or recognition pacts. Create visa facilitation units that don’t just collect paperwork, but actively help candidates prepare for interviews, licensing exams, and relocation protocols.

Beyond solving underemployment, this strategy carries another potent benefit—inward remittance. The money sent home by overseas workers is not just a lifeline for their families but a stabilising force in India’s foreign exchange reserves. In fact, remittances form one of the largest sources of foreign currency in India after software exports. For a country keen to bolster its rupee and reduce current account pressures, this is no small opportunity.

The race is on. We’re not the only ones in it. But we have a head start—by virtue of numbers, education capacity, English proficiency, and global familiarity. What we need now is urgency. A coordinated push, not just through speeches and slogans, but with institutional action. Skilling programs tailored for international employment. Diplomatic missions aligned to labour partnerships. A cultural reset to show that every job done well is a job of pride.

The world is short of hands. We have them. All we need is to raise them in the right direction.