Skill Development In India

According to CII’s India Skills Report, 62 per cent of India’s 1.3 billion population falls in the working-age group of 15-59 years. The World Bank estimates that India will add more than 12 million youth between the ages of 15 and 29 to its labour force each year. While these statistics underscore the size of India’s human capital, the World Bank report also discloses that only 2.3 per cent of India’s total workforce has received formal skills training, leaving millions unsuitable for employment.

As one of the world’s fastest growing economies, India’s requirement of skilled people is unparalleled. With more than 15 million joining the workforce annually, this youthful population can contribute to industrial productivity and fuel our economic growth and. If India fails, this large dissatisfied population could pose an economic and social challenge. Hence, skilling youth and linking them to a livelihood is a national imperative. The Foundation has always been firmly embedded in solving challenges faced by the community, hence skilling for outcomes namely – employment, entrepreneurship or community enterprise in both the formal and informal sector has been the purpose of the skilling initiative. Foundation has designed programs to promote livelihood opportunities through education and practical training, with the overarching aim of enhancing the country’s competitiveness and economic development.

Facts and Challenges

India’s education system leans heavily on theoretical learning; practical training aspects involving ‘working with hands’ and ‘learning by doing’ take a backseat and book knowledge is rarely supplemented with industry training. For students who drop out of the educational system — primarily in rural India and for economic reasons — there is inadequate infrastructure for industry-relevant skills training. This is one of the main reasons for India’s demand-supply mismatch where industry lacks a skilled talent pool, and youngsters cannot get jobs.The other is the rapid strides that India has taken towards the adoption of technology. The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technologies across industries is changing the employment landscape and transforming people’s roles and functions.

This is a fact that the fears surrounding automation’s alleged contribution to unemployment are somewhat allayed by the surge in demand for skilled labour. India’s skill gap analysis reveals that by the year 2023, the 24 key sectors of the economy will generate a demand for more than 109 million skilled workers. This is especially observed in sales functions, and in unorganised sectors such as those engaged in the business of leather, textiles, fabrication, servicing of automobiles and electronic appliances, etc, where the role necessitates a human interface, and where automation can never completely displace humans. Experts suggest that we need a mature skilling ecosystem that includes infrastructure, faculty and industry participation to ensure sustainable livelihoods and long term income generation.

Planned Approach

Pradip and Kumkum Ghosh Family Foundation has been investing in skill development programs on different levels to skill and train India’s youth for employment, entrepreneurship and community enterprise.