Uma Ganesh | August 5, 2024 | 
Due to limitations of Budget, the duration of skilling programmes is very short in some cases and often they do not get mentoring support beyond the training phase.
The recent budget announcements for skill development and employability aimed at Viksit Bharat emphasise the importance the government accords to the employment needs of the country. The top of the chart is the internship programme for one crore youth in 500 top companies over five years. This includes a monthly allowance of Rs 5,000 and a one time assistance of Rs 6,000 and would provide exposure to the real life business environment.
The proposal to skill 20 lakh youth and upgrade 1,000 ITIs is yet another important step. Around 30 lakh first time employees and their employers in the manufacturing sector would be benefitted by the direct incentives the government is proposing to hire more freshers. Further, loans upto Rs 7.5 lakh with government guarantees would help 25,000 students annually acquire vocational training.
In order to maximise the impact of the Budget announcement on skilling and employability, some of the challenges experienced over the years need to be addressed. Although there are many training centres offering skill development programmes, many of them are not meeting specific industry needs and thus despite undergoing training, there is a mismatch of skills. Therefore quality and relevance of contents should be carefully examined to enhance employment rates.
Currently industry collaboration is limited and thus the curriculum is not found to be up to date. Inadequate number of learners and teachers especially in rural areas leads to lack of access to relevant training and this leaves a large number of learners remain unemployed. Due to limitations of Budget, the duration of skilling programmes is very short in some cases and often they do not get mentoring support beyond the training phase. Thus the learners are under prepared while entering the workforce.
In order to leapfrog on the skilling spectrum, it would be necessary to create a win-win scenario amongst all key stakeholders. Success with the large-scale skilling programmes requires efficient coordination between government agencies, education institutions and the private sector.
The sole focus on the manufacturing sector for job creation and incentives for internships may not address the demand for skilled talent and larger unemployment issues. There is a need to consider extending the scheme to services as well as other sectors also. Counselling of candidates prior to commencement of skilling on a longer term basis post commencing careers are important to ensure there is alignment with their interests.
The method and process of recognition of prior learning (RPL) should be simplified. Learning & development (L&D) departments should be empowered and partner with local universities for relevant certification to motivate continuous learning. Organisations should be incentivised to develop modular courses and micro credentials to address the learning needs and skill upgrades.
Originally appeared in Financial Express