Skill Vibes: Pause..Reflect..

  T he ‘Kaushalacharya Samadar 2020’ was organised  on the 10th September to celebrate & honour 91 trainers & gurus across 5 categories & 21 subcategories who have made an incredible difference in the entire skill ecosystem. A great way to honour the trainers of the skill ecosystem based on their hard work and dedication. Such events do raise the respect and self esteem of the trainers.  However, the point to ponder is whether the impact of such one off events is lasting? Or is there something else that needs to be done simultaneously for a  continuous and longer impact? A detailed analysis is required to find a meaningful solution.  There is no one solution that will motivate the trainers and at the same time make the profession more respectable and desirable. Training of trainers is beyond doubt most critical. There are several examples to prove that largely the trainers are technically no better than the trainees themselves. The MSDE, NSDC and SSC...

T he Skilling Ecosystem continues to struggle to develop desired competencies for their trainers & trainees the lack of  which results in unreasonable failure rates and low placement percentages. The data made public by NSDC recently shows failure rates are more in the manufacturing sector as compared to the service sector job roles. Stakeholder at all levels are making positive contribution, however we still keep missing the goal by a big margin.  What are the possible reasons? There is no one specific reason but a host of them cutting across the "Skills Value Chain". Their combined effect keeps us away from the fundamental goal of enhancing Competencies. To discuss a few: a)  Setting up an ITI / Skill development center without linking it to the local and regional labour market survey, leading to a mismatch of demand and supply in the local area. Many times the focus is on choosing job roles with minimum investment disregarding the actual local requirements.  b...

A ssessments are the key to certifying competency. Contrary to a general belief that “Assessment” and taking a "Test” is similar, it is pertinent to mention that assessments are much broader.  A “Test” may check someone’s knowledge to ascertain / establish what the learner has learnt, or it may also establish the level of skill / knowledge acquired. Whereas, “Assessment” process documents skills, knowledge and attitude in a manner which can be measured. The aim of assessment is not to freeze the judgement but to open the window for improvements. The Assessments are governed by a set of principles which must be applied to make the assessments relevant. Just to recapitulate, the Assessment should be: ·          Valid ·          Reliable and Consistent ·          Transparent ·          Inclusive ·     ...

I t is always the learner first. If we keep this in mind, we are less likely to go wrong in making the appropriate policy decisions. One contagious issue bothering the Indian skills eco-system is the decision to induct Multiple Awarding Bodies in addition to the Sector Skill Councils to certify all the qualifications available in the National Qualification Register (NQR). There is no denying that competition is good for the system provided the desirable result is a better-quality assured certification. On the contrary, unhealthy competition can be counterproductive.   The basic / fundamental that must not be lost sight of is the fact that all awarding bodies must follow the same set of rules to design, develop, validate, approve, deliver, assess, certify and monitored the qualification. It is also a fundamental that must not be tempered with is that the Awarding Bodies must design “their” qualifications. The emphasis is on “their” qualifications and not on “borro...