‘Should we be promoting skills dvpt over traditional higher education?’

Ever since the inception of formal higher education in various parts of the world, from 1636 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to 1948 in India, the clash of skilling or apprenticeship versus higher education has existed.

For the longest time, higher education has imparted and taught the skills required for an individual to thrive in the world. But, recently, this has come into question. Does higher education equip the students of today for the workforce of tomorrow?

The question resonates across the globe and in India too. A recent Annual Employability Survey by Aspiring Minds found that 80% of Indian engineers are not fit for any job in the knowledge economy.

In an economy and world that thrive on technology, this fact does not bode well for students. In terms of technology, it will take a few decades or more for current plans to bear fruit.

Ironically, the industrialised world is encountering an unmatched vocation boom especially in terms of technology. There are jobs in every position but there is a clear lack of skill requirement for the job.

For example, employers often share their concern that even when graduates come with above average academic credentials they probably would not have learnt what they are expected to be able to do on their job. Though this has not been true in the case of an Ivy League education or an IIT/IIM based education, it remains a small number in comparison to the overall number of graduates across India.

On the other hand, skilling courses have been niche and to a shorter time period in comparison to a university degree.

The World Economic Forum in its 2018 report, The Future of Jobs, highlights the fact that new categories of jobs will emerge, partly or wholly displacing others. Therefore, the skill sets required in both old and new occupations will change in most industries and transform how and where people work.

Therefore, there is an increased level of awareness for the need for skilling. In India, there are multiple skill development models spearheaded by The National Skills Development Corporation (NSDC) launched in 2009. This was followed by Skill India mission in 2015 and the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMVKY) in 2016. Despite the progress made so far learners still face multiple challenges on their skilling journey.

However, India is committed in transforming itself as the skill capital of the world and premeditated efforts such as the India International Skill Centre (IISC) programme are evidence of this. In today’s fast changing and technology driven world, traditional higher education is being slowly chipped away.

By one popular estimate, 65% of children entering primary school today will ultimately end up working in job types that don’t yet exist. In such a rapidly evolving employment landscape, the ability to foresee and prepare for future skills requirements is a need more than a luxury. The goal is to make India a skills reservoir which in turn can contribute to Indian economy and global advancement.

The author is co-founder and CEO of Masai School