A study by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), a government body, and Accenture, an IT company, that was released on Monday has indicated that while vocational training manages to provide job opportunities to youngsters through public private partnerships, vocational educational training needs to address one of the main concerns of the youngsters, which is to be able to earn as soon as possible. The study has suggested five steps with which the government can ensure that the country has 500 million trained youth by 2022. It will also provide an opportunity to youngsters aged between 15 and 18 to fulfill their desire to earn while they learn skills, which will make them a productive workforce for the country’s economy. According to the research that covered 2,000 trainees enrolled in 17 NSDC and six Accenture skills-to-succeed training programmes, the initiative funded by NSDC and private-sector organisations has achieved high placement rates for the trainees. About 50 per cent of those who completed the training, received job offers within three months. This initiative recorded higher placement rates than other similar initiatives. While the placements were impressive, the pre-placement support services for trainees needed to be improved. For example, about 50 per cent of the interviewed trainees said that resume writing was very important, but only 21 per cent reported having received such training. The study also revealed that the rural youth aged between 15 and 18, who were provided vocational skill training, were eager to start earning, while upgrading their skills simultaneously. “About to be home to one-fifth of the world’s working-age population, India’s path to becoming a high performing nation will be shaped by its ability to impart market-relevant business and vocational skills to its youth,” said Dilip Chenoy, MD and CEO, NSDC.
