SKILL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

 After a long interval, I’m back again with some ideas to share. In the interim, I’ve been thinking on a number of issues. Some of which are:

·         Why Engineering is a better career choice. (I’m a bit biased on this)

·         Education System and Career.

·         India’s vast manpower – vis-à-vis poor employability.

For the moment, skill development opportunities have taken precedence looking at the need of the hour. So I’ll try to dwell on this.

First, I’ll thank God almighty and my Family and friends who have been responsible for shaping me the way I’m and believe me I’m highly privileged and blessed.

With the change of guard at the centre, the stress of our Honorable Prime Minister on SKILL Development it seems appropriate to share my views with all who may be interested to give it an ear/eye and take further the thinking process along with finding ways of implementation.

The way I look at things, there are just two generic groups who actually produce viz: (apart: from human/animal reproduction)

• AGRICULTURISTS/FARMERS (includes producers of all items both edible and non-edible products of the land in general).
• ENGINEERS/TECHNOLOGISTS (not necessarily degree/diploma holders, but includes all people who are producers of goods and/or services of any and all kinds. For that matter – the first man to walk the Earth was an Engineer, Doctor, Lawyer et al.)

Apart from the above all other people are providers of SERVICES. Service in respect of goods and/or service produced by the above groups (Distribution, After-Sales Service, Disposal/recycling after the end-of-life cycle), Service in respect of running and maintaining law and order (Police, Lawyers, Bureaucracy etc.), Service in respect of running and maintaining the body both human and animal (Medical Professionals, Veterinarians etc.). So on and so forth.

Thus we may say that Services is the major provider of employment opportunities. This is the sector where we can concentrate our efforts for SKILL Development. We already are doing a lot but still it is not enough.

We already have a system for educating and training personnel in all the areas – but who actually is the beneficiary? People with MEANS in general. What about the common man? People who do not have access to the established methods of education/training.

In India most of the employment opportunities available have a set of minimum educational and/or similar requirements. The employment and education are so inter related that the scope for the under privileged is limited. As per the present scenario the best opportunities are available in Engineering. This is also evident from the number of available seats in this field. But is it within reach of a common man. The answer is obviously NO. Is a Diploma or even ITI within the means of the vast majority? Again the answer is in the negative. How about the quality of training and employability? The answer is again not very promising. We may take a look at any field of employment - the scenario is more or less the same.

So how do we get out of this situation? The answer probably is a PPP model, wherein the related industry plays a dominant role. For new mega projects we already have number of interested players both Indian and Multi-Nationals. If the available system were to provide viable options it would have done so already. The present system is in place for years without much result. We will have to think out of the BOX. We have to invent newer ways of thinking and implementation. We may take any provider of goods and/or services and look at the performance of service – probably we will have the highest level of dissatisfaction from the consumer point of view. If we evolve a viable solution in this area – we will have a win-win situation both for the producer and service personnel.

The producer has to play a role in SKILLING people and also acting as a bridge between the so empowered personnel in reaching the consumer. I’m not talking about providing employment on the rolls of the principal, but turning the skilled personnel into small time self employed entrepreneur.

For example – let us take the Electrical Cables and Wires manufacturers, Lighting and accessories, Switches and accessories manufacturers – these people can set up centers for training and coordination for wire men, Industrial Lighting/Wiring. Electrical Motors and Pump manufacturers – they can train people for motor, pump repair. Computer manufacturers and software developers can play their role in Hardware and software maintenance/service/usage. People like accounting software developers/marketers in developing people for accounting services. Likewise different groups can act as nodal points for the specific area they deal in. Here we have to keep in mind that training ONLY will not work – but it has to be linked to employment – and that not as a burden/liability to their existing system but finding newer means like self-employment. If we really try hard to find solutions on these lines – it seems POSSIBLE.

One such model is:

• Fixing implementation responsibility.
• Trainees’ entry criteria.
• Course content.
• Place of training.
• Creating interest of the trainees – by making them feel the usefulness and employment potential.

At present most of the programmes are implemented through some educational institution – like ITI, MSME (SISI). Over time these institutions have lost credibility. They are in a rut and hardly capable of providing the required skills to meet immediate viable options. Even before take-off a number of questions are raised with respect to staffing, budgets, procedures etc. To be effective the implementation should be entrusted to Industry Partners. For a start they can set-up and/or use their existing service set-up. For this particular programme one centre can be equipped/redesigned at the state capital level.

The entry should be open to all with minimum possible entry-criteria, batch size of 10-30 depending on the available/developed facilities. The only entry criteria should be: Interest to really Learn and preparedness to strive and get self employed. The motivation being – Own Employment and Support of Principal in doing so. The programme duration may be of 3/6 months depending on the product/principals field of operation and experience.

 Here the focus should be hands on training with less stress on theory and more of practical work. The set-up proposed will be a regular service centre – with additional facilities for training of the new candidates. This centre will also act as nodal centre for coordinating the newly trained personnel with consumers. Indirectly strengthening the Principals service team. One possibility may be – using the principals existing team to provide Warranty Services and allocating chargeable service amongst the newly trained work-force. The principal has to evolve a schedule of charges for the services – and ensure strict adherence. The principal has also to own the quality responsibilities of the services provided with back-up support where required. Also the principal has to take care of keeping this work-force up-to-date by designing re-training programmes as and when required.

These are just a few ideas. Looking at the monumental task – it will require a lot of inputs, work, discussions to formulate/evolve working models. Once something concrete is put in place – every 3/6 months we will be able to add a substantial number of trained personnel. With thousands of products and manufacturers, just look at the employment potential.

For the participating principals – it will create additional markets of spares sales. It will also promote use of genuine replacement parts thereby contributing to better performance and increased life cycle of their products. For the Principal this can be one of their “Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. For the Government this can be a real ground breaking initiative in policy implementation. For the trainees it is a grand initiative towards livelihood and respected life in society. For the consumers – it can be an end to years of irresponsible/sub-standard services.

In most cases the cost of training can be absorbed by the principals, but in case of shortfall – the Government can devise some compensation/support package also. That is why I have called it a PPP initiative.

It can go a long way in Skill Development Initiative – Improving the after sales services – provide opportunities to the under privileged and improve the life of a vast majority of SOCIETY. I do have a lot of ideas on the above lines and am prepared to develop models with interested parties and take the process further.