Bridging the Skills Gap

Gaps are due to changes in the scenario

Technology Reach & globalisation Life style Outlook

Economy & market

And changes are. (not our mistake) so.

Natural !

(you can not change the world; so change yourself)

Cope with them !!

We have to

But the changes are being

.too rapid !!!

( the Future Shock ?? )

Technological advances are leaving huge gaps in us (individuals) in - information - knowledge & - skills. We have to bridge them if we have to survive in this (rapidly) changing world.

As teachers we are in the firing line from both sides !!

Keep pace with increasing demands in your own professional knowledge and skills

Equip your students with skills required to meet the demands of changing job market

Develop a genuine curiosity to learn and keep it alive.

Keep an open mind to learning new subjects and new skills.

Acquire additional qualifications / skills.

Do the above in a planned way fixing timeframes for yourself.

Expand your horizons: interact frequently with others in your profession by participating in conferences etc.

Visit industries relating to your subject as frequently as possible and keep contacts with their personnel.

Keep constantly abreast with what is happening in the world relating to your field.

Use internet extensively. It is the greatest source of whatever you want to know/learn.

Six point formula to bridge your skills gap

Now, as teachers .. What can we do to the student-folk?

Individuals need jobs. Employers need skilled workers. Educational institutions are there to prepare these (future) workers for careers.
But too often, lack of common understanding of each others requirements leads to failure to reach the goals. One contributing factor is a major disconnect between educational institutions and the employers.

AICTE chairman Dr. S.S. Mantha:

The challenge lies in that 80 per cent of new entrants to the workforce have no opportunity for skill training and the existing training capacity is only 3.1 million per annum as against 12.8 million joining the workforce.

Employers today, operate in an environment that demands new and constantly developing skills to retain global competitiveness. India's education system contributes about 350,000 engineers and 2.5 million university graduates annually; yet at any given time about 5 million graduates remain unemployed.
McKinsey Global Institute: Only 25 percent of Indian

engineers are employable!

NASSCOM: U R Rao Committee:

There is a shortage of 500,000

knowledge workers in India

twice as many M Tech degree holders for meeting its huge research and development needs, but India produces barely 400 engineering PhDs a year.

India needs well over 10,000 PhDs and

FICCI:

WHY SKILL SHORTAGES?

Old syllabi being taught and continuing for last many years - No takers for these skills in outdated courses. Mismatch between skill produced by institutions and skills required by Industry due to poor campus-industry linkages. on one hand, the level of educational attainment of the existing work force is very low, on the other hand the educated without professional skills constitute 69% of the total unemployed.

While

 Not

enough employment market surveys, counselling services to students exchanges working on old patterns discharging merely referral functions Institutions are not well equipped in terms of faculty and training infrastructure

Employment

FICCIs suggestions

Industry-academia convergence

Ensure curriculum adaptation moves as fast as the changes in industry; Build up relationship with industry and career advisors; Collaborate to develop Learning Models; Develop joint Academic Industry Degree Models; Development of research based teaching material; Alumni networking and developing broad based relationships, not one of associations; Mutually enabling processes for capacity building of the faculty, students and the companies;

85 percent of professions in the world today require skilled workers who have critical-thinking capabilities combined with career and industry specific requirements. While this talent shift was occurring, our education system remained stagnant.

We must focus our attention on providing skills that enhance critical thinking, reasoning, problem solving, and teamwork. We must leverage technology to ensure that students receive the contextualized education.

We must give much more importance to practicals (laboratory and project work). This would increase motivation to learn, improve understanding and stimulate imagination.

If you hear, you will forget. If you see, you will remember. If you do, you will understand.

Critical Thinking
-

this means using intellectual skills acquired in the classroom and applying them to the real world. It is about critically analysing and thinking issues through, anticipating problems and finding practical solutions.

It also means having common sense and confidence to use these skills effectively in the workplace.

Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.
ALBERT EINSTEIN