The social sector is willing to bet on young talent
Employment can solve complex societal issues and make the world a more sustainable place to live in
Economic growth in India in the last decade has failed to generate enough jobs. People are losing jobs to automation and struggling to stay relevant. Labour intensity has decreased by 90% over three decades. A million people are entering the workforce every month. With growing social unrest and rising inequity, we need to come up with solutions. Is this a good time to look at employment as a means to sustain a society? Probably yes. A job can solve complex societal issues and making the world a more sustainable place to live in.
People used to perceive jobs in the social sector to be a sort of activism. Organisations in this sector were seen as unorganised, founder-centric, non-professional ad-hoc structures. But things are changing. A growing number of organisations are focusing on solving society’s challenging problems by working in a structured mode. Increased philanthropic initiatives are driving resources to build people-centric, process-driven and outcome-focused organisations.
Social entrepreneurship is on the rise; funds are becoming available for organisations that want to make a change. The sector is seeing innovative thinking and promising ideas are being put to the test. Social sector organisations are growing at a rapid clip. Healthcare, women’s empowerment, nutrition, farming and education are some of the areas in which many organisations are doing interesting work. While some work at the grassroots to address basic issues, many like policy think-tanks work on the other end of the spectrum to bring about long-term policy change. And this breadth provides a wide canvas for a person to build his or her career.
The social sector roles are not restricted to a single track and there is fluidity in expanding one’s horizons. For instance, the CEO of one of the grant-making organisations studied at IIT, taught in an alternative school and played defining roles in a large global NGO before taking up this assignment.
The sector is poised to meet the demands of the millennials who seek a fulfilling career that makes an impact on the larger world. Most organisations in the development sector are willing to bet on young talent as much as they welcome those with experience. Several established organisations such as the Kaivalya Foundation, Kotak Foundation and Pradan regularly recruit from campuses across the country.
The sector needs passionate people who have an analytical bent of mind, who can solve problems. The nature of work is different; geographies are difficult but the work is hugely satisfying.