A University Degree vs. Vocational Training: Which one to choose?

In recent decades higher education has almost become the fashion as well as status symbol in society.

As per 2011-12 survey reports on Higher Education reports of Department Higher Education, Ministry of Human Reports Development, Government of India there few important things to note:

1. Total enrolment in higher education has been estimated to be 28.56 million with 15.87 million boys and 12.69 million girls. Girls constitute 44.4% of the total enrolment.   
2. There are 83 Technical, 33 Agriculture, 24 Medical, 17 law and 10 Veterinary Universities
3. College density, i.e. the number of colleges per lakh eligible population (population in the age‐group 18‐23 years) varies from 6 in Bihar to 64 in Puducherry as compared to All India average of 25
4. Maximum numbers of Students are enrolled in B.A. programme followed by B.Com and B.Sc. programmes. Only 20 Programmes out of approximately 150 cover 83% of the total students enrolled in higher education
5. At Undergraduate, level the highest number (34%) of students is enrolled in Arts followed by Engineering & Technology (19%), Commerce (14.5%) and Science (12%).
6. Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) in Universities and Colleges is 25.6

When we read the points carefully and try to analyse the details, we find that there is huge gap in education system, We have 34% of undergraduates in Arts stream which is out of date today. BA pass is having no value in today's job interview. Now interviewer gives the advantage to candidate having professional degrees like BBA, BCA, BTech, BSc, B Pharma, BLib etc. along with some technical knowledge and experience in the domain.

Vocational Training

Here comes the confusion to a BA Pass Candidate. Should he invest on his skills though vocational courses or continue with his BA Pass Certificate and struggle further? Those who identify and recognize earlier the future of their career via vocational courses get swift move on the heights of their career. While a normal graduate keep struggling for government jobs or little paying private jobs. 

The current scenario is like a boom to the vocational courses. These courses offer better jobs with good paymasters of the industry. For example an electrician who has passed out the knowledge based technical vocational course of electrician and possess a industry recognised certificate (Like from NSDC) will be given preference than a traditional electrician. 

As per the choice of career, it is better to decide from University Degree and Vocational Training after matriculation. With guidance and counselling of an expert this could be done easily. This will be immense helpful to youth in making right decision for their career and future of life as well.

निःशुल्क प्रशिक्षण के साथ फ्री टैबलेट, यूनिफार्म, किताबें एवं प्रतिदिन उपस्थिति के 125 रुपये

हमारे माननीय प्रधानमंत्री जी का सपना है कि भारत विश्व का कौशल्य केंद्र बने।  इंग्लिश में स्किल कैपिटल।  ये सपना तभी सच हो सकता है जब सब भारतवासी मिलकर स्किल डेवलपमेंट में अपना पूरा योगदान दें।

जैसा की आप सभी जानते है कि भारत की 65% आबादी 35 वर्ष से कम उम्र की है।  ऐसे में भारत विश्व का सबसे युवा देश है।  लेकिन यह एक कटु सत्य है की यहाँ के ज्यादातर युवा बेरोजगारी का सामना कर रहे है।  उन्हें तकनिकी दक्षता नहीं मिल पाने के कारण रोजगार नहीं मिल पाता।  उनके सामने सरकारी नौकरी के अलावा कोई विकल्प ही नही होता।

अब वक्त बदल रहा है।  दुनिया की तमाम बड़ी कंपनिया भारत में निवेश कर रही है । ऐसे में जिसके पास हुनर है उसका कदर है.... यह कहावत चरितार्थ होगी।  भारत सरकार ने दीन दयाल उपाध्याय ग्रामीण कौशल्य योजना (DDU-GKY) में प्रशिक्षणार्थियों को निःशुल्क प्रशिक्षण के साथ फ्री टैबलेट, यूनिफार्म, किताबें एवं प्रतिदिन उपस्थिति के 125 रुपये प्रदान करने का निर्देश दिया है।  इस योजना में वैसे सभी युवक युवती जो ग्रामीण क्षेत्र के आर्थिक रूप से कमजोर परिवार से है तथा उनकी आयु 18 - 35  वर्ष के बीच है, योजना का लाभ ले सकते है।

योजना में प्रशिक्षण के उपरांत सरकार द्वारा मान्यता प्राप्त प्रमाणपत्र दिया जाता है। उसके बाद कम से कम 6000 रूपये मासिक रोजगार सुनिश्चित होता है।  रोजगार में जाने पर प्रतोसाहन राशि के रूप में 1000  प्रति माह दो माह तक मिलता है।

योजना  के बारे अगर आप अधिक जानकारी चाहते हैं तो DDU - GKY के वेबसाइट  http://ddugky.gov.in/ पर जाकर जानकारी प्राप्त कर सकते है।

इस योजना से सम्बंधित किसी भी अन्य उपयोगी जानकारी के लिए निचे कमेंट बॉक्स में लिखे।  चर्चा - परिचर्चा के बिंदु भी आमंत्रित है। 

Challenges in skill development projects for a Training Partner in India

Nowadays skill development is a big buzz. There are more than 10,000 Training Partners involved under various schemes across the country spread in all territories of India. However there are challenges which almost all the Training Providers face.

Industry experts say public perception on skilling and vocational training is still low.  “Skilling is perceived as the last resort meant for those who have not been able to progress in the formal academic system. This mental block has only increased the gap between what the industry requires and what is currently available,” said the project head of an education management firm involved in skill training.

We have listed here some major challenges as per the feedback provided by Training Partners already implementing skill development projects more than a decade.

1. Mobilization

Challenges- The first challenge is the mobilization of the right candidate. As there is target of training specified to be achieved within stipulated time, the Training Providers is inclined towards count completion. They go as per the minimum eligibility to full-fill the norms specified rather than taking the right candidate who actually need the training and further opportunity to explore his skills.

Solutions- The Gram Panchayat Saturation model adopted by Ministry of Rural Develop is helpful to some extent for the purpose of better mobilization. As one youth of the Gram Panchayat get training and placement and start earning a handsome salary, other get inspired from him or her. Awareness about the program is already there since many of the candidates belong from same community

Similar way there are other measures also which could help in mobilization of needy candidates.

2. Training

Challenges- The duration of training is normally 6-8 hours in a day. The candidates feel it boring to be in training for more than 3-4 hours in a day. Now the challenge is to keep them engaged. Further the availability of quality trainers is lesser in remote areas.  The right environment of Training is not developed which in return makes it a wastage of government funds.

Solutions-It is easy to engage youth in technical devices like tablets, mobiles, laptop or desktop with facility of internet. When there is excitement to learn the skill, it becomes easy to retain them in classroom or domain lab. There online learning portals which can be self learned so instead of lecture classes if focus is shifted towards developing the right set of skills within candidates then it shall result better delivery of training.

3. Certification

Challenges- All assessment is to test the proficiency of trained candidates. The language of training and assessment is not same all the time which is a constraint to qualify the assessment for a candidate's. Sometime it becomes difficult for school or college dropouts to learn the lesson. Thus many of these youth decide to leave the training in between.

Solutions-There are tools of assessment which evaluate the various aspects of personality. The assessment process should be designed to test the learning of skills only. It could be in verbal or non verbal or any other form in which the trainees are comfortable.

4. Placement & Retention

Challenge- Almost all the programs of skill development is linked with placement or employment. Here comes the most crucial phase. The candidates complete their training in greed of certificate and other monitory benefits but they due to homesickness and other factors they don't join their jobs.

Post Placement the retention is the only factor which decides the success rate of a project. Around 20-25% of appointed candidates retain their job on an average. There are factors like lack of coordination & motivation from training provider, Support from Parents, work culture at the job place and friend circle at the new place. Further being stranger to the place candidate has to face many challenge.

Solutions-Parent meeting is one the solution before we start placement drives. It shall be helpful to boost the moral of trainees when they are away from home. A coordinator who takes care for the first month at least when they are placed first time is of too much help. The motivation comes from peer group, friends so alumini network also plays a vital role.

These were only few of the challenges in skill development project going on in India at present. The extended support from Government and Local Authorities as well as easy availability of things at the new job location can maximize the retention of candidates in job which is the ultimate goal of these projects.