Vocational education: Bridging the skill gap
As technology advances at an unprecedented pace, the demand for highly skilled workers has increased significantly. By concentrating on job-specific skills, vocational training helps individuals to bridge the gap between education and employment, which is essential in today’s highly competitive job market
Deepak Roy’s aspiration to become a computer engineer was put on hold when he lost his father in 2020. However, he found a solution to support his family by enrolling in a diploma programme for financial accounting management at a vocational training institute in Kolkata. Today, Roy is employed as an assistant accountant in the IT sector, and although his initial dream of becoming a computer engineer did not materialise, he is proud to be able to provide for his family.
Aritra Ganguly (28) works as an X-Ray technician at a private hospital in Kolkata. He had completed a diploma in X-Ray Technology after his Plus Two.
A recent survey by TeamLease revealed India will need 30 million digitally skilled professionals by 2026 and 50% of the current workforce would need to re-skill themselves in areas of emerging technologies. At a time when India is on a relatively strong growth path and on the track to becoming the world’s third-largest economy by 2027, vocational education to meet the industry’s rising requirements for skilled manpower is the need of the hour.
In fact, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always stressed the skill development of the new generation. Time and again, he has mentioned how India’s skilled workforce is the backbone of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. In his first Independence Day speech in 2014, PM Modi said: “Ramping up skills, particularly in trades, through vocational education has emerged as a recurrent and increasingly critical priority for India.”
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has also given special emphasis on vocational education. NEP 2020 believes integration and mainstreaming of vocational education with general education will help students in acquiring various skills to meet the needs of the industries and to improve the quality of education.
“Vocational training is crucial for career development as it provides hands-on experience and practical skills in a specific field. It prepares individuals for the workforce and helps them acquire the necessary knowledge and certifications to excel in their chosen profession. By focusing on job-specific skills, vocational training bridges the gap between education and employment, which is critical in today’s competitive job market,” said Prof (Dr) Santanu Kr Sen of Guru Nanak Institute of Technology (GNIT), Kolkata.
The NEP 2020 also aims to remove any hard separations that exist between arts and sciences, between curricular and extra-curricular activities, and between vocational and academic streams. The policy stresses giving students increased flexibility and choice of subjects to study, particularly in secondary school, including subjects in physical education, arts and crafts, and vocational skills so that they can design their own paths of study and life plans.
“Given that it equips people with information and skills relevant to particular jobs, vocational training is becoming more and more popular in India. The National Skill Development Corporation and the Skill India Project are just two of the programmes the Indian government has started to encourage vocational training. India offers a wide variety of vocational programmes, from established crafts like construction and plumbing to cutting-edge industries like artificial intelligence and digital marketing. Vocational training has turned into a crucial component of the nation’s workforce growth due to the rising demand for skilled workers in India,” said Prof Dr M R Kanjilal, Narula Institute of Technology (NIT).
The NEP 2020 mentions that every student will take a fun course, during grades 6-8, that gives a survey and hands-on experience of a sampling of important vocational crafts such as carpentry, electric work, metal work, gardening, pottery making, etc., as decided by states and local communities and as mapped by local skilling needs. According to NEP 2020, by 2025, at least 50% of learners shall have vocational exposure through schools and higher education.
Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Narendrapur, has been running an Industrial Training Centre (RKMITC) since 1967. From teaching how to become a professional draughtsman mechanic, fitter, plumber, or welder to electrician, and automobile service technician, various long and short-term courses are available to make the boys stand on their own feet.
“The demand for a skilled workforce will always be there. India lacks skilled workers like masons, plumbers and electricians. RKM thought of technical and vocational education 60 years ago,” said revered Swami Sarvalokananda Maharaj, secretary of Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Narendrapur, West Bengal.
Also known as career and technical education (CTE) or technical and vocational education and training (TVET), it’s important to research and select a vocational course that aligns with your interests, strengths, and career goals. Given the rapid advancement of technology, IT courses like computer programming, web development, cybersecurity, and network engineering are in high demand.
“Courses like nursing, healthcare management, medical coding, health and safety are quite popular. Courses like hotel management, food and beverage management, event planning and tourism management are in demand in the hospitality and tourism industries. With a growing need for infrastructure, courses like civil engineering, electrical engineering, architecture, and construction management are also much sought after. Courses like accounting, financial management, human resources, and business administration are popular in the business and finance industries. Along with courses like graphic design, animation, photography, and filmmaking are in demand in the creative arts and media industry,” said Prof (Dr) Sen.
Dhriti Prasanna Mahanta, Business Head, TeamLease Services informed how vocational skills give an edge to candidates as they have a better understanding of the role due to its OJT (on-the-job training) embedded nature. It is cost-effective, time-efficient, and allows individuals to enter the workforce more quickly.
“Vocational training is gaining importance in India as it plays a crucial role in addressing the skill gap and providing employment opportunities to millions of people. Today, after completing vocational courses, students can get entry-level positions in the services industry including retail, logistics, and hospitality with an average starting salary of Rs 15,000 to Rs 18,000,” he said.
In fact, retail, hospitality, logistics, warehouse, and automotive technology are among the few vocational courses that are in great demand and offer good employment opportunities.
Despite PM Modi’s continuous stress on vocational and technical training, over 84 percent of Indians between the 12 and 59 age groups did not receive vocational and technical training in 2020-21.
“Vocational education assists people in gaining relevant expertise and practical skills in their area of choice. Vocational training prepares people for the workforce and aids in closing the skills gap that occurs in many sectors by emphasising job-specific skills,” said Prof (Dr) Kanjilal of NIT.
Kuondoa pengo la ujuzi: Kwa kuwa teknolojia inaendelea kwa kasi isiyo na kifani, mahitaji ya wafanyakazi wenye ujuzi wa hali ya juu yameongezeka sana. Kwa kuzingatia ujuzi maalum wa kazi, mafunzo ya ufundi husaidia watu kuunganisha pengo kati ya elimu na ajira, ambayo ni muhimu katika soko la kazi la leo lenye ushindani mkubwa. Hata hivyo, alipata suluhisho la kuitegemeza familia yake kwa kujiandikisha katika programu ya diploma ya usimamizi wa uhasibu wa kifedha katika taasisi ya mafunzo ya ufundi huko Kolkata. Leo, Roy anafanya kazi kama msaidizi wa mhasibu katika sekta ya IT, na ingawa ndoto yake ya awali ya kuwa mhandisi wa kompyuta haikutimia, anajivunia kuweza kuandaa familia yake. Aritra Ganguly (28) anafanya kazi kama fundi wa X-Ray katika hospitali ya kibinafsi huko Kolkata. Alikuwa amemaliza diploma katika X-Ray Teknolojia baada ya Plus Two yake. Utafiti wa hivi karibuni uliofanywa na TeamLease ulifunua kuwa India itahitaji wataalamu milioni 30 wenye ujuzi wa dijiti ifikapo 2026 na 50% ya wafanyikazi wa sasa watahitaji kujifunza tena katika maeneo ya teknolojia zinazojitokeza. Wakati India iko kwenye njia ya ukuaji wenye nguvu na kwenye njia ya kuwa uchumi wa tatu kwa ukubwa ulimwenguni ifikapo 2027, elimu ya ufundi ili kukidhi mahitaji ya sekta ya ufundi kwa nguvu za kazi ni haja ya saa. Kwa kweli, Waziri Mkuu Narendra Modi daima amesisitiza maendeleo ya ujuzi wa kizazi kipya. Mara kwa mara, ametaja jinsi nguvu za kazi zenye ujuzi za India zinavyo kuwa uti wa mgongo wa ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat. "Katika hotuba yake ya kwanza ya Siku ya Uhuru mnamo 2014, PM Modi alisema: ""Kupandisha ujuzi, haswa katika biashara, kupitia elimu ya ufundi, imeibuka kama kipaumbele cha mara kwa mara na kinachozidi kuwa muhimu kwa India." NEP 2020 inaamini kuunganisha na kuunganisha elimu ya ufundi na elimu ya jumla itasaidia wanafunzi katika kupata ujuzi mbalimbali ili kukidhi mahitaji ya viwanda na kuboresha ubora wa elimu. Mafunzo ya ufundi ni muhimu kwa ajili ya maendeleo ya kazi kama inatoa uzoefu wa mikono na ujuzi wa vitendo katika uwanja maalum. Inaandaa watu kwa ajili ya kazi na kuwasaidia kupata maarifa na vyeti muhimu ili kufanikiwa katika taaluma yao iliyochaguliwa. Kwa kuzingatia ujuzi maalum wa kazi, mafunzo ya ufundi hupunguza pengo kati ya elimu na ajira, ambayo ni muhimu katika soko la kazi la leo la ushindani, alisema Profesa (Dr) Santanu Kr Sen wa Taasisi ya Teknolojia ya Guru Nanak (GNIT), Kolkata. NEP 2020 pia inakusudia kuondoa mgawanyiko wowote mgumu uliopo kati ya sanaa na sayansi, kati ya shughuli za mtaala na za ziada, na kati ya mikondo ya ufundi na kitaaluma. Sera hiyo inasisitiza kuwapa wanafunzi kubadilika zaidi na chaguo la masomo, haswa katika shule ya sekondari, ikiwa ni pamoja na masomo ya elimu ya mwili, sanaa na ufundi, na ujuzi wa ufundi ili waweze kubuni njia zao za masomo na mipango ya maisha. <unk>Kwa kuzingatia kwamba inawapa watu habari na ujuzi unaohusiana na kazi maalum, mafunzo ya ufundi inakuwa maarufu zaidi na zaidi nchini India. Shirika la Kitaifa la Maendeleo ya Ujuzi na Mradi wa Ujuzi wa India ni programu mbili tu ambazo serikali ya India imeanza kuhamasisha mafunzo ya ufundi. India inatoa programu mbalimbali za ufundi, kutoka kwa ufundi wa zamani kama ujenzi na mabomba hadi viwanda vya juu kama akili bandia na uuzaji wa dijiti. Mafunzo ya ufundi yamegeuka kuwa sehemu muhimu ya ukuaji wa nguvu za kazi za taifa kutokana na kuongezeka kwa mahitaji ya wafanyakazi wenye ujuzi nchini India, "alisema Profesa Dr M R Kanjilal, Taasisi ya Teknolojia ya Narula (NIT). NEP 2020 inataja kwamba kila mwanafunzi atachukua kozi ya kufurahisha, wakati wa madarasa ya 6 hadi 8, ambayo inatoa uchunguzi na uzoefu wa mikono ya sampuli ya ufundi muhimu wa ufundi kama vile usoni, kazi ya umeme, kazi ya chuma, bustani, utengenezaji wa udongo, na kadhalika, kama ilivyoamuliwa na majimbo na jamii za mitaa na kama ilivyoonyeshwa na mahitaji ya ujuzi wa ndani. Kulingana na NEP 2020, kufikia 2025, angalau 50% ya wanafunzi wanapaswa kuwa na mfiduo wa ufundi kupitia shule na elimu ya juu. Ramakrishna Mission Ashram, Narendrapur, imekuwa ikiendesha Kituo cha Mafunzo ya Viwanda (RKMITC) tangu 1967. Kuanzia kufundisha jinsi ya kuwa fundi wa kuchora, fundi wa vifaa, fundi wa mabomba, au fundi wa kulehemu hadi fundi wa umeme, na fundi wa huduma za magari, kozi mbalimbali za muda mrefu na za muda mfupi zinapatikana ili kuwafanya wavulana wasimame kwa miguu yao wenyewe. <unk>Mtafutaji wa wafanyakazi wenye ujuzi utakuwapo daima. India haina wafanyakazi wenye ujuzi kama vile wajenzi, mabomba na waendeshaji wa umeme. "RKM ilifikiria elimu ya kiufundi na ya ufundi miaka 60 iliyopita, ""alisema Swami Sarvalokananda Maharaj, katibu wa Ramakrishna Mission Ashram, Narendrapur, Bengal Magharibi." Pia inajulikana kama elimu ya kazi na kiufundi (CTE) au elimu ya kiufundi na ufundi na mafunzo (TVET), ni muhimu kutafiti na kuchagua kozi ya ufundi ambayo inalingana na maslahi yako, nguvu, na malengo ya kazi. Kwa kuzingatia maendeleo ya haraka ya teknolojia, kozi za IT kama programu ya kompyuta, maendeleo ya wavuti, usalama wa mtandao, na uhandisi wa mtandao zinahitajiwa sana. <unk>Kozi kama uuguzi, usimamizi wa huduma za afya, coding ya matibabu, afya na usalama ni maarufu sana. Kozi kama usimamizi wa hoteli, usimamizi wa chakula na vinywaji, mipango ya tukio na usimamizi wa utalii zinahitajiwa katika viwanda vya ukaribishaji na utalii. Kwa sababu ya uhitaji unaozidi kuongezeka wa miundombinu, masomo kama vile uhandisi wa ujenzi, uhandisi wa umeme, usanifu-ujenzi, na usimamizi wa ujenzi pia yanatafutwa sana. Kozi kama uhasibu, usimamizi wa kifedha, rasilimali za binadamu, na usimamizi wa biashara ni maarufu katika biashara na sekta ya fedha. "Kama vile kozi kama vile kubuni picha, uhuishaji, upigaji picha na utengenezaji wa filamu ni katika mahitaji katika sanaa ya ubunifu na sekta ya vyombo vya habari, ""akasema Profesa Dr. Sen. Dhriti Prasanna Mahanta, Mkuu wa Biashara, TeamLease Services, akibainisha jinsi ujuzi wa ufundi kutoa makali kwa wagombea kama wao kuwa na uelewa bora wa jukumu kutokana na asili yake ya OJT (kujifunza juu ya kazi)." Ni gharama nafuu, muda-ufanisi, na inaruhusu watu kuingia kazi kwa kasi zaidi. Mazoezi ya ufundi yanapata umuhimu nchini India kwani yana jukumu muhimu katika kushughulikia pengo la ustadi na kutoa fursa za ajira kwa mamilioni ya watu. Leo, baada ya kumaliza kozi za ufundi, wanafunzi wanaweza kupata nafasi za kiwango cha kuingia katika tasnia ya huduma ikiwa ni pamoja na rejareja, usafirishaji, na ukarimu na mshahara wa wastani wa kuanzia wa Rs 15,000 hadi Rs 18,000. Kwa kweli, rejareja, ukaribishaji, vifaa, ghala, na teknolojia ya magari ni miongoni mwa kozi chache za ufundi ambazo zina mahitaji makubwa na hutoa fursa nzuri za ajira. "Licha ya msisitizo wa kuendelea wa PM Modi juu ya mafunzo ya ufundi na ufundi, zaidi ya asilimia 84 ya Wahindi kati ya makundi ya umri wa miaka 12 na 59 hawakupata mafunzo ya ufundi na ufundi katika 2020.""" Elimu ya ufundi husaidia watu katika kupata utaalam husika na ujuzi wa vitendo katika eneo lao la uchaguzi. Mafunzo ya ufundi huwatayarisha watu kwa ajili ya nguvu za kazi na husaidia katika kufunga pengo la ujuzi ambalo hutokea katika sekta nyingi kwa kusisitiza ujuzi maalum wa kazi, "alisema Profesa (Dr) Kanjilal wa NIT.