Talk about highly qualified youth scrambling for entry-level* government jobs as clerks or sanitation staff members; it’s nothing new, it gets into headlines regularly. Had they been groomed and skilled well, perhaps, some of these applicants could have been job creators rather than job seekers! Often, we might dismiss it saying, so what, in a country as big and complex as India, such things are bound to happen! Or, just blame the education system for not preparing the graduates and post-graduates for right jobs or blame the government for not creating enough jobs or … Youth employability is definitely a critical issue!
The question is how do we stop the trend that sends wrong signals to the younger generation in India who might grow up thinking applying for a job itself is a full-time occupation, till they get a government job.
Creating awareness about jobs and job market
Students who are in their high schools, students who are going to be the future workforce, should have access to realising their potential by finding a suitable job. Though it may sound like an ideal situation, we need to create awareness among the college students about the job market, job roles, skills needed by the industry, entrepreneurship as a career option, thus gradually building a positive outlook towards the world of work.
What happens when highly qualified Engineers, MBAs and Ph.Ds apply for low-level jobs? Perhaps, nothing. What if some of them get those jobs? They may take it up for various reasons because while applying there is no restrictions on educational qualifications in most cases. Such headlines should make us think and act on various aspects of connecting education with employment, such as:
- The need to get a government job irrespective of whatever post, position
- There is no match between the degree and the job
- Absolutely low on skills and employability quotient
- The value of higher education in terms of employability
- Lack of awareness about job market and skills needed
- Applying to all kinds of jobs and lack of seriousness
- The desperation and anxiety to seek a full-time job
- Job security and the notion of government jobs as being secure and safe
- And many others…
Accepting the fact that many in India will consider an Engineering Degree as the basic educational qualification for a long time to come, how do we ensure that these graduates really learn something in their college that prepares them to work. And, the idea that Engineering + MBA will prepare them for lucrative career is just adding to those who are absolutely unaware of the realities of the job market dynamics and resultant frustration.
Whose responsibility is it to create jobs? How do we connect the eligible youth with right jobs? Who will educate the ‘Engineers’ about the relevance of their degree, with the fact that hardly 10% of them are employable.
Related articles on industry and job roles: https://nationalskillsnetwork.in/category/employability-skills/
Please share your views, actions points and experiences in making youth employable through right training and education, or any other related points.
*Please note: We at NSN, do not discriminate between jobs and job roles or levels ; we believe in absolute dignity of labour; the intention of this article is to create awareness about right jobs for right qualifications.
