Skill-based education is not a choice but a need in India. But while the demand is very high, the desire to get skilled is low. Learners, parents and society prefer socially-acceptable qualifications in pure academic subjects.

People incorrectly believe that skill-based education leads to low-paid jobs and think it isonly for academically weak students, school dropouts and the less privileged.

Industry sectors across the board are facing a shortage of skilled talent. While employers understand that many youth lack technical skills that come with education, training, or previous work experience, they do expect them to possess work and soft skills. These include being able to solve problems and communicate effectively and assume personal responsibility for learning and attendance.

Families that help their youth develop these skills, give the youngsters a real advantage in the job market.

Sadly, many youth lack opportunities for work experience. This is especially true for youth with disabilities and other at-risk and disconnected youth.

There seems to be a myth about acceptance of a vocational, skilled workforce by corporate houses, government bodies, policy-makers and society in general.

With the Government setting a humongous target for enabling youth with skills and driving industry/academia for the same, it is paving the way for promoting skills building at the grassroots level in high schools, colleges and universities.

In a nutshell, the following ten steps should be a ready reckoner:

S Skills for all – irrespective of age group or socio-economic background

K Knowledge and application of acquired knowledge

I Industry linkages – the founding stone of success of any skill intervention

L Learn by doing – in the real work environment

L Last mile access to skills by developing skill development centres in remote locations

Y Youth empowerment

O Opportunities to be leveraged

U Unconventional career options in the vocational education framework

T Training for employability and not for skills alone

H Handholding youth in migration and settlement

We are now all in the process of building a framework between education and skills for youth. Everybody is in the mode for social transformation. HR managers will cease to look only for people with high qualifications. There will be a standardised way of assessing people. Industry will no longer draw career plans for every person who comes to get skilled. Every individual joining an organisation will not be expected to come with knowledge/skills on a platter.

(The author is CEO and Director, Centum Learning.)

Related Topics