Elina
27 May, 2024
Table of Contents
“Empower the youth with skills today, and they will build a better world tomorrow.”
In the corporate ecosystem, skills are preferred over simple textbook knowledge. Textbook education was mainly built upon the idea of knowledge earned via learning and memorising. It is restrictive and impractical as per the present competitive market. Meanwhile, skill-based education is based on offering relevant skills, mindset, and efficiency. Skill-based education has become the need of the hour.
The job market has evolved and seeks to employ those who will help them achieve their goals. Skill-based education is crucial to battling the skill deficit within the country’s youth in the right way. This blog will detail skill-based education, its benefits, criticism, and strategies for effective implementation.
In this global environment, there is a requirement for skill-based experience. Employers are comparatively more fixated on the candidate’s skills than their degrees. As per reports, there has been a 6-fold increase in the number of students choosing skill-based education over these past five years. This education allows the learner to combine knowledge with practical skills, leading to better career opportunities. It not only helps the candidate enter the workforce faster but also enhances the chances of a graduate getting the right job.
Skill-based education does not restrict the learner to the generic structures. It provides flexibility and personalisation as per their interests and likes. Each individual has the right and independence to choose the course and go through it at their own pace while sitting at any place in the world. A learner can get the right skills without restrictions and boundaries.
Skill-based education allows the learner to learn from experience rather than from textbooks. This is critical for their success in the present world. It helps in overall personal and professional growth. In these courses, learners are motivated to use these skills in the real world. This enhances the learner’s capabilities by providing them with a deeper understanding of the issue.
Technology is dynamic and has become a crucial part of every sector. So, it is pertinent for the curriculum to be updated regularly and remain relevant. With the recurring technology change, the curriculum of skill-based courses must also align with these industry changes.
In the present scenario, it is of quintessence to have relevant skills as per the industry requirements. Still, it is essential to remember that skill-based education comes with its own set of challenges and criticism. The biggest challenge which learners face is the quality of education. As several courses are available in the market for each skill, it is difficult to identify the high-quality programmes. Sometimes, the courses offered may be outside the present industry standards. The next challenge that shows up is the lack of trust of students and parents in skill-based education. Parents still tend to believe in the importance of traditional learning. There is a huge gap in the mindsets of parents and the present demands in the job market.
One of the most pressing challenges for skill-based education is its accessibility. It’s imperative for skill-based education to broaden its horizons and cater to individuals from all socioeconomic backgrounds, ensuring that no one is left behind.
According to a recent report, India is ranked fifth in the world in terms of GDP. This ranking clearly indicates that India is a rapidly growing economy. To continuously improve India’s GDP ranking, our present education system must bridge the gap between the traditional education system and the present-day job market.
To tackle this issue, it is important to start at the root level of developing a school curriculum that equips students with skill sets relevant to the present-day job market. The education industry should encourage skill-based and traditional education to match the skill gap.
The government also has taken a few initiatives to upskill and train over 10 million youth in the country like, the National Skill Development Mission, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna (PMKVY), and Vidyawaan Skill Development Initiative. All these schemes aim at providing a complete skill set to master the technical job market. The government has also pushed to make online learning a little more accessible to the youth by building digital platforms for education. However, these schemes created by the government need to be more efficient portray the outcome that was thought of. They need to invest more in the future workforce by building an infrastructure that helps the youth by upskilling them.
Education will lead to the nation’s overall development when paired with the right opportunities and knowledge. Skill-based education is the key to unlocking more significant opportunities and career goals for individuals and the nation. Skill-based education is not merely a need anymore; rather, it has shifted toward becoming a requirement.
