Skill Vibes: Pause..Reflect..

The gap between what the industry needs and what the skill training institutes offer has remained despite the efforts of the eco-system created by the Skill India initiative. There is no let up in the efforts and investments with the view to continuously upgrade and realign to the changing environment. Taking a clue from the NEP 2020, which aims to provide an inclusive, equitable, and quality education system that fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. One approach to achieving the objectives of bridging the skill gap is through the use of design thinking, a human-centered problem-solving methodology that emphasizes empathy, experimentation, and collaboration. In practice, design thinking, which includes critical thinking and problem-solving, can be useful in a variety of contexts, like curriculum design, project-based learning, and teacher/trainer training. For example, in the context of curriculum design, design thinking can be used to develop courses that are re...

The Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) is a flagship scheme of the Indian Government aimed at providing skill-based training and certification to the youth. Recently, the scheme was in the news when the Finance Minister in the Union Budget speech said “Under PMKVY 4.0, on-job training, industry partnership, and alignment of courses with needs of industry will be emphasised,” The Minister further said. “The scheme will also cover new-age courses for Industry 4.0 like coding, AI, robotics, mechatronics, IOT, 3D printing, drones, and soft skills.” The FM rightfully mentioned strengthening the industry connect and introduction of future skills in PMKVY 4.0, India's latest version of the skills development program. The development and refinement of these niche future technologies is the job of people possessing higher level of education and skills; however, it is the "application" of these skills which falls under the preview of programs like the PMKVY. It is thus pru...