Is Vocational Education a Viable Option in India?

A vast majority of individuals in our country cannot, for economic or other reasons pursue higher education or even complete schooling.

Mainstream education certainly helps in preparing individuals for a successful future, social upward mobility and more. But is it the only way? For those who do not gain a college education, is the future dead? Well, not really. Vocational education is a viable option.

Let’s learn from Switzerland, Australia and Germany. Switzerland is one of the few countries where vocational and academic education are considered equal. The country drives quality professional education and lifelong adult learning, resulting in low youth unemployment. Across Australia, Vocational Education Training (VET) programs provide individuals with the skills they need. Every year, 4.2 million Australians take part in VET courses. Over 4500 registered training organizations provide training across 1300 skill sets. Germany has made vocational education a big part of its system. For decades, Germany has adopted a dual-track VET system. The Vocational Education Training spans involves classroom study and on-job experience to cover both theoretical as well as practical knowledge.

In India, the unemployment rate remains high. In urban areas, it was at 8.89% and the rural areas it was at 6.82% during November 2019. A highest in the last four years. The reasons may vary from stagnant wages to lack of access to quality education.

One way to tackle unemployment is to empower our youth. To learn new skills. Stay updated with the latest developments. And, take responsibility for their own personal and professional development.

Let’s delve deeper into the vocational training space

You will agree. For years, such professions in India have been widely considered as inferior when compared to being an engineer or a doctor. But the shift in the employment landscape and demand for skilled professionals is leading many Indians to move away from the stigma and explore vocational job opportunities across industries. Another reason is the rise in the salary offered. According to a joint report by TeamLease and ET, the salary offered vocational jobs goes up to rupees 60,000 per month (equivalent to an engineer’s salary).

Some of the fields with high-demand for skilled experts are:

Nursing and healthcare – Surgical prep technicians, Dental hygienists, Sonography
Emergency services – Firefighters, paramedics, first-aid instructors
Automotive industry – Diesel mechanics and machining
Popular vocational jobs – Welding, web designing and computer-aided drafting

Vocational training institutes in India

India faces two major issues: A, the industry-institute gap and B, the rise in the population of uneducated as well as educated yet unemployable youth.

Working on solving these challenges, the Government of India and multiple companies have instituted measures to promote vocational training. Here are a few below:

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 2016-20 implemented by Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is set to provide skilling to one crore people under Short Term Training (STT) and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) across the country including urban and rural areas
The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) programme has targeted skilling of 500 million individuals by 2022.
18 National Skill Training Institutes (for Women) are imparting skill training exclusively for women. Further, exclusive batches to provide basic/ theoretical training to women have been started under National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) in all Centrally Funded Institutes (CFIs).=
Companies like Siemens and Bosch have stepped up and started vocational training programs. From mechatronics to modern carpentry, they’re skilling individuals to meet market needs.

Working in tandem with government initiatives and vocational institutions is Certif-ID. A blockchain-based platform with an aim to promote skill development and meet the growing demand of manpower across sectors.

The Certif-ID platform is aimed at solving the above-mentioned challenges:

Bridge industry-institute gap – Certif-ID provides relevant information to the vocational training institutes and individuals interested in learning new skills about the latest news, courses, industry trends and more. Also, very soon, institutes on the platform will be able to undertake a review. The review will offer suggestions for improving training practices, everyday operations to meet global education standards.
Produce educated and employable youth – Individuals on Certif-ID can learn about different courses, industry trends, etc., and then sign up to courses from reputed institutions. After completing a course, they will receive a blockchain-based globally recognised digital certificate. By sharing this certificate with potential recruiters anywhere in the world, they can showcase and prove their skills, and stand a better chance of being hired.

Traditional vocations such as plumbing, painting or carpentry may not require a degree, but having the right skills and a valid certificate can help in applying for jobs globally and improving salaries. For a populated country like India, skilling can be golden. It can elevate living standards and transform India into a skills capital.