Your skills, your future

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Your skills, your future

Wednesday, 18 September 2019 | Dr Gayathri Vasudevan

Your skills, your future

The future workplace is going to demand new ways of thinking. Dr Gayathri Vasudevan tells you how

Today’s markets and the lives of students are very different from the need of the emerging markets and the students for whom the existing education systems were developed. In such scenarios, there is a persisting question that needs to be answered — how can education best prepare the youth to navigate their way through an increasingly interconnected, complex and demanding market and the world in which theoretical recall will matter less than their ability of understanding perspectives and befit unconventional job roles.

India is encountering unique social, economic and environmental challenges driven by accelerating globalisation and a faster rate of technological sophistication. At the same time, those strengths are presenting us with myriad new possibilities for work and human advancement.

Education is going through an extensive change. A range of national models, forms and arrangements have developed to cope with the accelerated technological advancements and the dynamic needs of the labour market. Transforming social paradigms and environments have modified students’ motives and career expectations, highlighting on a qualitative change in the workforce towards human resources furnished to a high degree of skills in diversified vocational courses.

Vocational education, or skills-based, education is getting relevant today, with several employers demanding new employees to possess all the necessary practical skills they require to start work and to support their families shortly after senior secondary education.

In India, we believe that education is critical for nation-building. It is also a well-accepted fact that imparting appropriate knowledge and skills to the youth can secure the overall national development and economic growth. The Indian education system recognises the role of education and particularly vocational education.

Given the rapid technological development, vocationalisation of education implies the introduction of diversified technical and vocational education programmes, which need to be designed not as narrowly conceived. Vocationally based education of developing positive attitudes and interests in students for some definite vocational work during their post-school stage is the key.

It helps individuals to be more productive through preparation for specific competencies in different vocations. It can’t, however, be equated with mere technician training, it is essentially education in the broader sense of the term. It prepares individuals for understanding the social needs and conditions, and to realise their potentiality so that both can be correlated for bringing about the economic development of the country in particular and creating an atmosphere of self-realisation of individuals and prosperity of the nation in general.

To make vocations aspirational, it is essential to alter the fundamental thought process of people very early on with suitable interventions. Need for vocational professionals is demanded more than ever in numerous industries such auto repair, woodworking, carpentry, blacksmith, cosmetology, retail, tourism, information technology, funeral services, as well as in the traditional crafts and cottage industries. There are several benefits of vocational education.

  • Technical programmes develop the economy by bridging the demand and supply gap with skilled workers. It allows students to take marketable skills from the classroom directly into the working world.
  • Majority of vocational skills are relevant all over the world, and hence generate many employment opportunities in foreign countries.
  • School drop-outs and adults can receive this type of education as it offers opportunities to learn a skill or trade. There are many well-paid careers for which a college degree is not required.
  • Better vocational education also draws foreign investment and foreign exchange in the form of international conglomerates and students.
  • Hands-on work activities allow direct application of experience and acquired knowledge.

The writer is  chairperson and co-founder of LabourNet

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