Top 5 Business Opportunities in Skill Development

There are various opportunities for business in skill development but every opportunity is not perfect for everyone. We have listed top 5 business opportunities in skill development which can fetch you better revenue.

1. Establish a Multi-Purpose Training Center- Instead of setting up many small and nonstandard training center it is better to set up a large center where 5-7 trade and sectors training could be organized under various schemes on same time. Ideally, when one scheme is slowed down, you can focus on another. The entire infrastructure and resource will be utilized to its full optimum.
2. Supply Equipment Related to Skill Development-There is equipment related to training like Tablets, Biometric devices, Projectors, Desktop Computers, Networking devices, Printer and scanners, Domain Lab Equipment for retail/beauty/electrical etc which can be supplied to Training Agencies as per their requirement.
3. Supply Regular Consumption Goods Like Uniform & Stationary-Advertisement Materials, Stationary, Course Book and workbooks, Identity Cards, Uniforms can be a big opportunity for business.
4. Offer Placement Services-Almost every project of skill development is linked with Placement where Trained Candidates have to get wage appointment. There is a huge scope of business in this field as in Placement you shall be paid by the Training Agency for whom you shall do the service and on the same time you shall get payment from an employer who shall appoint these trained candidates. You can earn in lakhs per month without any investment. Just a few phone calls and very little physical presence.
5. Post Placement and Tracking Support- It involves 12 months of tracking of a placed candidates. There are various documents required like offer letter for each appointment, monthly salary slips, bank statement as proof of salary etc. These involve a huge cost to training and placement agencies. Those who have a well-established network in project area could earn better from this opportunity. 

Apart from above, there are other opportunities like providing mobilization assistance, Screening and Selection assistance, Publicity Campaigns, Providing Tour and Travel solutions, Maintaining website and MIS and so on but it depends on the demand and supply of industry. 

Rajasthan Skill & Development Corporation (RSLDC) Programs

Rajasthan is the first State in India to establish a Mission on Livelihoods. In order to address the challenges of unemployment and ensuring gainful and sustainable employment to the youth of the state, Hon’ble Chief Minister created Rajasthan Mission on Livelihood (RMoL) in September 2004. 

The objective of creation of RMoL was to formulate appropriate and innovative strategies to promote and facilitate large scale livelihoods for the poor and vulnerable people of the state. Understanding the importance of skill development as a vehicle for enhancing employability of working population, RMoL was rechristened as Rajasthan Mission on Skill and Livelihoods in 2009-10.

RSLDC was incorporated as Section 25 Company, a Not for Profit company, on 17th August, 2010 with the Chief Secretary as the Chairman of the Company. As part of its major action, it established skill Training mechanism by involving more than 300 partner agencies to execute the training program across the State. In its journey of 7 years it has trained around 85,000 persons/youth by offering 97 courses in 34 sectors.

Schemes of Skill Development implemented under RSLDC:

1. ELSTP- Employment Linked Skill Development Program
2. DDU-GKY- Deen Dayal Upadhyay Grameen Kaushalya Yojna
3. RSTP-Regular Skill Training Program
4. RSDIS- Rajsthan SKill Development Initiative Scheme

Fore more details on RSLDC please visit their website:

http://livelihoods.rajasthan.gov.in/content/livelihood/en/skill-department.html

Distance education empire near to end, What next ?

There was a time when correspondence course education business was a boom. Training center were flooded with admissions into BCA, MCA, BA, MA, MBA and other similar traditional courses. Now with the order of supreme court to UGC and concerned universities, such study centers and training centers have become null and void.

In this high tide time as a lifeline such training centers are adopting skill development courses sponsored by government and CSR projects. As in most of the projects candidate is not charged so mobilization and counselling of candidate for the enrollment becomes easy. 

The most interesting thing to know about skill development projects is there is delay in release of payment to project implementing agencies which results in delay to the payments to Training Centers. Some times the duration of this delay is 6 months to 1 years or might be even more. Those who have the back up of funds arranged become successful while many quit this business of grant based projects.

One more thing, these skill development placement linked skill development projects are like a cup of tea for your business. These do not last longer. Most of the project is designed for up to 3-5 years. Now the Infrastructure and staff could not be kept idle as the cost is involved so the Training Center owners must find a way out to generate revenue. Below mentioned are the five tips which could be helpful in profit maximization for your Training Center:

1. Partner with reliable Project Implementing Agencies that too on clear Terms & Conditions mutually agreed in written
2. Check the project scope in terms of target and milestones periodic for your center and analyse the gaps when your infrastructure will be kept idle. 
3. Get partnered with other agencies for similar projects keeping the buffer time in mind
4. Get affiliated as Study Center of your State Universities for regular revenue as the projects will not provide you regular income every month every year
5. Keep your affiliation documents ready and become the impaneled Training Center for Block or District level small projects in your expertise like Data Entry Works during census etc

You will be surprised to know that government is not capable to run this sponsored skill development projects for entire population so they shall be shifting this to paid skill development projects. 

We shall discuss about it in more detail in next blog. Till that time enjoy reading and plan your strategies well. 

Kudumbashree - Kerala (State Poverty Eradication Mission)

In the State of Kerala, Kudumbashree has been panacea in eradication of poverty among the peoples of State. Since its inception in 1998 as a State Mission, it has played vital role in making people aware about better livelihoods, enterprise development, skill development and employments.

In all 14 districts of Kerala, there are District Mission Coordinators who is instrumental in achieving the goals of mission. Being the most educated State of country, It has over 90 percent literate peoples. However there is huge gap in traditional education and current demand of job industry. 

In order to minimize the skill gap, Kudumbashree has sensitized the youths of urban and rural areas with awareness of placement linked skill development programs like DDU-GKY, PMKVY, SDI and others. They have already engaged many public and private sector training agency in public private partnership (PPP) mode.

As on 30 June 2016 Kudumbashree has trained 6948 Candidates and Placed 3308 Candidates under DDU-GKY program which is sponsored by Ministry of Rural Development as per the link provided below. 

http://kudumbashree.org/sites/all/themes/kudumbashree/uploads/downloads/136310061_Kudumbashree%20DDUGKY%20AchievementStatus.pdf

The biggest challange for Kerala and Kudumbashree both is to handle educated employment. The dynamics of supply and demand in educated manpower in labor market is now growth oriented. Skill Development programs have been immense helpful in proving employment and opportunities to them. 

Employers and industrialist have now shown their interest towards the skilled and educated manpower which is easy available here in the State. Any champion employer would definitely like to take advantage of this. State Mission  "Kudumbashree" is the nodal agency of contact for any such initiative and could be contacted for same.

The office of State Mission "Kudumbashree" could be contacted on below mention details:

Address: State Poverty Eradication Mission

2nd Floor, TRIDA Rehabilitation Building

Chalakuzhy Road, Medical College 

PO.Thiruvananthapuram -695011

Kerala, India

Email Id: info@kudumbashree.org 

Ph: 91-471-2554714

      91-471-2554715

      91-471-2554716

Skill India की जरुरत क्यों है? इसका फायदा किसे होगा ?

हमारा देश भारत एक विकासशील देश है।  आबादी के अनुपात में हम विश्व  में दूसरे नंबर पर है जबकि क्षेत्रफल के अनुपात में सातवे नंबर पर।  हमारी आबादी हमारे देश के लिए अभिशाप और वरदान दोनों है।  आज से कुछ साल पहले तक विदेशी पर्यटक हमारे गरीब, भूखे, नंगे, फटेहाल लोगो की तस्वीरे खींच कर ले जाते थे। लेकिन अब हमारे युवाओं ने अपने कौशल और हुनर का लोहा पुरे विश्व में मनवाया है। गूगल के सुन्दर पिचाई हो या चेस के विश्वनाथन आनंद या क्रिकेट के भगवन सचिन तेंदुलर, रिलायन्स के मुकेश अम्बानी, लोग भारत को तेजी से उभरती हुई आर्थिक महाशक्ति के रूप में देख रहे है।

भारत दुनिया का सबसे बड़ा बाजार है।  यहाँ हर वर्ग के लोग मिल जाते है। ऐसे में जो कुशल है उनकी मांग बढ़ जाती है। एक सर्वे के अनुसार भारत में कौशल विकास का आनुपात सिर्फ 10% है।

Percentage of workforce receiving skill training (2008)

 Source:Planning Commission Report (2008)

वर्ष 2016 में यह अनुपात सिर्फ 15 % है। अभी भी हम जापान और कोरिया जैसे देशो से स्किल डेवलपमेंट में बहुत पीछे है। इससे ये तो स्पष्ट है की भारत में स्किल डेवलपमेंट की कितनी जरुरत है।  अब दूसरे प्रश्न पर आते है इसका फायदा किसे होगा ?

किसी भी देश को विकसित हम तभी कहते है जब वह की जनता के रहन सहन और व्यव्हार में सम्पन्नता और समृद्धि नजर आता है। उस देश का प्रति व्यक्ति आय अधिक होता है।  

अब जब भारत के लोग स्किल्ड होंगे तो उन्हें मेहनताना अच्छा मिलेगा और उनकी आय में वृद्धि होगी। लोग आर्थिक और सामाजिक रूप से समृद्ध होंगे।  गरीबी और बेरोजगारी जैसे समस्या से छुटकारा मिलेगा।  हमारे विकास से परिवार विकसित होगा, परिवार से समाज, समाज से गांव, गांव से पंचायत, पंचायत से विकासखंड, विकासखंड से जिला, जिला से राज्य और राज्य से सम्पूर्ण देश विकसित हो जायेगा।  और शायद हम सब लोग भी यही दिन देखना चाहते है। 

इस सपना को पूरा करने के लिए हम सबका स्किल इंडिया मिशन से जुड़ना जरुरी है।  हो सकता है हमें सीधे तौर  पर कोई आर्थिक लाभ तुरंत न मिले पर अपने आने वाले पीढ़ी का भविष्य अवश्य सुरक्षित हो जायेगा।

आपके आस पास भी स्किल डेवलपमेंट की योजनाएँ चल रही होगी या शुरू होने वाली होगी।  आप यथासंभव इस पुण्य कार्य में अपना योगदान दे।

स्किल इंडिया... स्किल वर्ल्ड   

आपके सुझाव एवं विचार निचे कमेंट बॉक्स में आमंत्रित है।

क्या आप के पास कोई स्पेशल Skill है ?

हमने कई जगह पढ़ा और कई लोगो से सुना है की हर व्यक्ति के पास कोई न कोई ख़ास स्किल या हुनर या क्वालिटी होता है।  कुछ लोग उसे पहचान कर जिंदगी में सफल हो जाते है और कुछ लोग अपने इस खास स्किल से ताउम्र अनजान रह जाते है।

क्या आप के पास कोई स्पेशल स्किल है ? क्या आप उसका सही उपयोग कर पा रहे है ? अगर आप को इन दोनों प्रश्नों के सही उत्तर मिल जाये तो आप सफलता की ओर अग्रसर है।  अब आप चाहेंगे की आपके इस ख़ास स्किल का लाभ अन्य लोगो को भी मिले जिससे समाज का विकास हो सके और आप अपनी पहचान  कायम कर सके।

भारत सरकार एवं सभी राज्य सरकारों द्वारा स्किल डेवलपमेंट योजनाओ में अगर आप अपने इस स्किल का योगदान देना चाहते है तो आप एक ट्रेनर / प्रशिक्षक /कॉउंसलर बन कर ये काम कर सकते है।  आप किसी भी  सरकारी अथवा निजी प्राक्षिण प्रदाता द्वारा चलाये जा रहे कौशल विकास योजना से जुड़े और उसमे जिन कार्यों को आप सम्पादित कर सकते है,  वहाँ से शुरुआत करे। आप योजना के विभिन्न चरण में अपने इस स्किल का बेहतर प्रदर्शन कर सकते है, जैसे:

• मोबिलाइजेशन, 
• काउंसलिंग,
•  स्क्रीनिंग,   
• ट्रेनिंग या प्रशिक्षण 
• असेसमेंट  
• प्लेसमेंट या नियोजन 
• ट्रैकिंग 

इस सबके आलावा आप वालंटियर बन कर अपना योगदान कर सकते है । सबसे ज्यादा जिस की जरुरत है वह कार्य है युवक युवतियों को सही पथ प्रदर्शित कर उनके भविष्य को उज्जवल बनाना। आप जितने अधिक से अधिक युवाओ को उनके कौशल्य वर्धन में सहयोग प्रदान करेंगे, हमारा समाज उतना ही शक्षम होगा।  बेरोजगारी कम होगी और लोग हुनरमंद बनेगे। हमारे राज्य और देश का आर्थिक और सामाजिक विकास होगा।

सबका साथ सबका विकास - आइये हम सब मिलकर प्रयास करे 

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। 

नारी शशक्तिकरण या Women Empowerment through Skill Development

नारी शशक्तिकरण शब्द का विस्तृत अर्थ माँ दुर्गा के प्रतिमा पर नज़र डालते ही समझ आ जाता है. माँ अपने भक्तो का पालन और दुष्टों का संहार  करने में पूर्ण रूप से शशक्त है. इस सुबह अवसर पर कौशल उन्नयन अर्थात स्किल डेवलपमेंट में नारी शशक्तिकरण  पर एक नज़र डालते है. 

We feel honored to write that in India, women participation is higher than the men participation in skill development. The active female youths are taking more interest in learning new skills and help their livelihoods touch the new heights every passing day.

Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India launched a special scheme called Roshini under National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM). The participation of women in this program is minimum 50%. The guidelines of scheme is available for kind perusal under below mention link:

http://aajeevika.gov.in/sites/default/files/nrlp_repository/roshni-guidelines-in-english.pdf

Further the same ministry of GOI launched DDU-GKY scheme under which women participation is minimum 33%. The guidelines of scheme is available for kind perusal under below mention link:

http://ddugky.gov.in/sites/default/files/SOP/mail%20ddugky%20guidelines%20with%20cover_0.pdf

Similarly Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has made the minimum participation of 33% compulsory under their PMKVY/NSDC skill development programs.Now the most interesting facts:

1. Almost all female youths either in group or individual retain in training session for the entire period of course provided the course is actually helpful in skill improvement
2. Once they join the job, retention in job is higher due to less opportunity 
3. Their employer is satisfied they are proven more sincere in comparison to their male counterparts
4. For Training Partner, these candidates are like golden candidates, as they get the lucrative incentive of placements, retention etc and their target is easily covered.

These all above mentioned points makes it clear that the investment done in skill development of women is profit maximization of all the stakeholders. It is actually a social development under win win situation. 

Training Center Infrastructure- Key to Successful Business in Skill Development Industry

A Model Training Center Establishment as per Latest Guidelines-All Projects

Establishment of the Training Center is foundation of a skill development project. As the government has announced common cost norms and guidelines for PMKVY, DDU-GKY and other similar programs, there is specific requirement of infrastructure and equipment.
We have mentioned below the comprehensive requirements for a training center which shall be fit for delivery of training as mentioned in Standard Operating procedures of the various ongoing as well as upcoming projects.

Accreditation Standards have been classified into two parts:

The Training Centres applying for accreditation needs to qualify in all the parameters & standards to get accredited.
1. Common Standards
2. Job Role Specific Standards

Now please find below the details for first Part:
1. Common Standards:

A. Classroom area/ Capacity of Classroom ( For each Classroom):

• Minimum space requirement for each Classroom is 200 square feet.
• Minimum space requirement per trainee in each Classroom  is 10 Square Feet

Laboratory area/ Capacity of Laboratory ( For each Laboratory):

• Laboratory has to meet SSC specific guidelines. 
• In case SSC specific requirements are not given, Minimum space requirement for each Laboratry  is 200 square feet.   
• Minimum space requirement per trainee in each Laboratory  is 10 Square Feet  

Placement /  Entrepreneurship Counselling Cell

• Availability of a demarcated Placement/ Entrepreneurship Counselling Cell , with availability of a dedicated/shared full time Placement Coordinator

Type of Construction of the Building of the Training Centre

• All walls of the Training Centre including Classrooms, Laboratories, Library, Reception etc should be well plastered, colored / dis-tempered/ whitewashed .   
• The walls  and roof  made of Tin sheets are not allowed. The floor of the Training Centre including Classrooms, Laboratories  etc should be cemented and preferably tiled .    (Training Centre which have  pre-fabricated structures and containers are exempted from the above )
• All the Classrooms and Laboratories should be properly ventilated. 
• All the wires and switchboards in the Training Centre should properly covered and secured.

Separate Washroom facility  for male and female trainees 

• Availability of separate washroom facility for male and female trainees

Safe/Clean Drinking Water

• Availability of safe/clean drinking water facility in the form of Reverse Osmosis( RO) /Water purifier/Packaged drinking water dispenser 

Cleanliness and Hygiene

• Availability of a dedicated housekeeping staff at the Training Centre. 
• Availability of a daily checklist /  inspection card as maintained by the Housekeeping Staff 
• Dustbin should be placed in all Classrooms, Laboratories and Reception area .  

Health and Safety Facilities : First- Aid Kit and Fire Fighting Equipment 

• Availability of the First-Aid kit AND Fire Fighting equipment as per below mentioned norms

Aadhar-Enabled Biometric  Attendance System (AEBAS)

Trainer certified in trade as per eligibility criteria mentioned in trade similar agency specified in the Scheme 

Availability of Equipment/ Tools/ Machinery in Laboratory For each Job Role/Trade of Training

For Job Role Specific Standards We shall update our blog shortly.

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.