Introduction
Vocational education has emerged as a crucial aspect of the educational system in India. It aims to endow learners with concrete, work-specific skills that may be directly exported to the labor market. Because more than 62% of India’s population consists of working-age people (15-59), with about 54% of people being under 25, bridging the skills gap by industry should be the focus of job training programs. Vocational training programs are the driving force behind these efforts as India competes to become the epicenter of a highly skilled labor force. Some of these initiatives, such as the “Skill India” project, are focused on skilling 400 million people by 2025 to ensure that young people acquire the knowledge and skills required to remain relevant in the job market.
Vocational education is one of the regular courses tailored to meet the specific needs of various industries and enable students to gain expertise in these highly demanded sectors. With the Indian youth population (about 700 million) looking for job opportunities, these initiatives are now more relevant than ever. As part of its mission, companies like Tata Housing are also actively contributing. They are providing skill development training to 100,000 poor and deprived people across the country as part of their Samarth initiative, which aligns with the Prime Minister’s intention of skilling India’s youth.
What is Vocational Training?
Vocational training is devoted to providing the practical skills that are needed for specific jobs. The skills that are in most demand are provided by vocational training. These vocational training courses involve hands-on learning, which means that students gain expertise through projects in the real world and education that is relevant to the industry. Unlike traditional academic education, vocational education plans are aimed at preparing students for their careers by teaching them the specific job skills they will use in their respective industries.
Why Vocational Training Matters in India
India is a country with a large, youthful population that presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Most rural youth, less than 4%, have no access to formal vocational or technical training. However, the notion of Skill India aims to solve the skills gap in India with the help of vocational education that is coordinated with labor market ideas worldwide. It is known that this progress will, in the end, enable India to have a fitting of skills to high-demand sectors such as technology, health, and manufacturing, which are the foundation of any modern production and therefore receive more resources.
Key Advantages of Vocational Training:
- ‣ Refining Practical Skills: Vocational training courses help students with the required practical skills they need to learn from the real world. After completing their training, they will become job-ready.
‣ Introduction to Job-Related Specialized Areas: Specialized job training is company-initiated, designing the training in partnership with industrial professionals to be fully integrated with the course. This helps students acquire the needed skills and meet market demand.
- ‣ Better Chances of Getting Employed: Strong certification and formalized industry-specific training have attracted a professional edge, and subsequently, jobs have been created.
- ‣ Eliminating the Skills Shortage: Vocational training is a solution to this issue as it enables (1) businesses to get the skilled workers they need, and (2) job seekers to gain the right skills, especially in rural areas where education and career training initiatives are still in their initial stages.
- ‣ Creating Availability of More Job Opportunities: Through a vocational certificate program, students are now allowed to explore a wide range of options, from local to global career opportunities.
Vocational Training and School Students
Nowadays, vocational training is not only for professionals who are already working in permanent jobs and wanting to get re-skilled; it is increasingly important for school students as well. Vocational education has now become a trade subject that is included in the National School Curriculum from grade 9 to grade 12 as a result of the National Skill Development Mission and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Providing early vocational training to students allows them to practice and become skillful, which, as a result, prepares them earlier to join the job market. By 2025, more than 400 million people in India are expected to receive skill development courses through initiatives like Skill India, making it vital for school students aiming for a competitive edge in the labor market.
NCSDE: National Center for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship
The NCSDE is a key government program in India aimed at increasing the skills of the workforce. By targeting areas such as automotive production, retail management, fashion design, hospitality, and agriculture, the NCSDE has been an agent of change through aligning training programs with industry needs. In this regard, the NCSDE is responsible for providing criteria for headteachers to adhere to and resources to achieve these goals, including certification courses and relevant exercises that mirror the business atmosphere.
By joining forces with leading professionals in the industry, the NCSDE enables students to gain hands-on experience, which is a primary requirement for jobs in various sectors and is mostly absent in rural areas where formal technical education has not grown in strength beyond 4%.
WILP: Work Integrated Learning Programs
Work Integrated Learning Programs (WILP) are a new approach to vocational education. WILP integrates academic learning with hands-on experience, ensuring that students not only develop theoretical knowledge but also the essential practical skills required in their future career.
At AISECT University, WILP programs are meant to be industry standard-based, so that students can experience life outside of the rooms of study camps they are put in. The real-world connection is made through internships, apprenticeships, and on-the-job training. Thus, the students have real exposure, while they continue their studies. The double nature of education allows them to be better equipped for the workforce.
Key Benefits of WILP:
- ⦿ Industry-Aligned-Training: WILP ensures that students are equipped with skills that are in sync with fluctuations in the occupation market.
- ⦿ Practical Training: Students get to have the first-hand feel of operating in the workplace, which adds significant insights to their understanding of the job features and the real industry environment.
- ⦿ Flexibility: WILP offers different ways to learn, including certification courses, diplomas, and degrees, that allow students to go at their own speed.
- ⦿ Superior Employability: The mixing of academic learning and field experience improves the chances of students obtaining good salaries after graduation.
Vocational Training Programmes at AISECT University
AISECT University has implemented a number of vocational training developing the important skills and knowledge required for students to be effective in the working world. The Work Integrated Learning Programs (WILP) offered by the university are in the areas of retail management, hospitality, automobiles, agriculture, and fashion design.
Vocational Programs Offered:
- ⁍ Retail Management
- ⁍ Hospitality
- ⁍ Automobile Production
- ⁍ Logistics and Operations Management
- ⁍ Agribusiness
- ⁍ Fashion Design Technology
- ⁍ Therapeutic Yoga
- ⁍ Food Science Technology
- ⁍ Interior Design
- ⁍ Banking and Financial Services, including Insurance
- ⁍ Electronics Industry
- ⁍ Retail Service Marketing
- ⁍ Travel and Tourism
Impact of Vocational Training on School Students
- ⁍ Workplace Readiness: School pupils who undergo vocational training at an earlier stage in their lives stand a better chance in the world of work when they directly join the market after their graduation.
- ⁍ Self-Assurance: Acquiring certain practical skills leads to the enhancement of students’ overall confidence, which in turn prepares them to tackle challenges.
- ⁍ Securing Better Employment Opportunities: Students qualified with relevant skill sets and certifications can secure reasonably well-paying jobs immediately or opt to further their education in their area of interest.
Conclusion
Vocational education and training programs in India, such as Skill India, Tata Housing’s Samarth initiative, NCSDE, and WILP Programs, are preparing the country with a competent workforce capable of matching the needs of the contemporary labor market. Vocational opportunities offered by AISECT University assist students in utilizing available opportunities based on industry needs. India’s demographics, in general, and industry needs, in particular, support the claim that vocational education will continue to be a critical element in making students job-ready, self-confident, and successful in their future careers.