The Need and Importance of Vocational Education in India

Metaverse, hybrid, digital, or AI!

It is tough to predict how the workforce will look in the future. It is evolving at an incredible pace. And the need for industry-ready skills is at the heart of the skilling ecosystem.

What we learn today might soon get outdated!

And the global workforce system calls for much more than just the REGULAR SKILLS!

What is the role of vocational education in meeting the demands of robust future careers?

And how do our policymakers view the growing importance of vocational education in India?

Let’s explore the role of vocational study and discover the way forward amidst the changing workforce dynamics, starting with the definition first.

What is Vocational Education

The term vocational education is often associated with vocational courses that include hands-on training and lessons, related to a specific field/profession. Vocational study creates a learning path that equips an individual to handle a particular job/occupation/profile. The primary objective of vocational study is to build specialized skills in an individual and prepare him/her for the chosen career pathway.

Evidently, vocational education is directly related to one’s employability. But is this all?

Let’s find out through some broader perspectives!

What is the Importance of Vocational Education in India? &

How Can It Be a Game-Changer for Our Youth?

The National Development Perspective

In the broadest sense, vocational education in India is a roadmap to national development. To meet the desired goals, India needs more competent people to enter the workforce and fulfill the manpower requirements. For this, there is an urgent need to bridge the skills gap and make our youth more employable.

We are proudly the fastest growing and currently the 5^th largest economy in the world. But when it comes to the GDP per capita the reality is depressing. India stands at the 129^th position (out of 200) in the world. For holistic economic growth, we need a viable solution. And building skills through vocational learning is one of the best ways to make the national strategies work in our favor.

The Employability Perspective

For decades, we have come a long way in focusing on skill-building. But unfortunately, our education system continues to battle with a REAL SKILLS GAP. By far, we have not succeeded in building practical skills and aligning our youth with industry-specific demands. While we readily acknowledge the importance of vocational education, this massive skill gap remains an unresolved concern.

In a scenario like this, vocational education alone has SOLUTIONS to eliminate the mismatch between higher education and the workforce skill demands.

The Global Perspective and Indian GDP

In a highly interconnected world, the importance of vocational education is paramount. The global stage is all set for skilled candidates, and what’s even better is that earning abroad can give up to 120% gains compared to salaries in India. In the U.S.A., Indian workers are expected to see a jump of almost 500%. The same is expected to be almost 300% in the U.A.E.

Even with remote jobs, enhanced connectivity helps in widening perspectives, and improves job prospects in the global workplace. At the national level too, the inward remittance has been bolstering India’s economy with a 3% contribution (India’s GDP).

Vocational courses and vocational study support an individual, nation, and the world at large in many ways.

But what is the perfect time to start with vocational learning?

Is it right at the school level?

Let’s figure out the opinion of our policymakers in this regard!

Why Do We Need Vocational Education at the School Level?

The school level is perfect for introducing vocational courses/study and improving career readiness.

A skill-based curriculum at the school level gives students a good head start along with the early opportunity for career exploration. In addition, students who join a vocational school also have better chances of employment at an early age. In any adverse conditions, such as dropping out of school, etc. they can use their technical knowledge (vocational study) to support their families in unfavorable times.

NPE 2020 and Vocational Courses

Indian policymakers envision incorporating vocational education into the mainstream system. To align the aspirational goals of 21^st-century students, the National Policy of Education, 2020 aims at giving exposure to vocational study to at least 50% of the students at the high school level. The policy further elaborates on the importance of vocational education in India at the school level. It states that this early exposure emphasizes the dignity of labor in the habit-formation stages. When students take up, vocational learning at an early stage, they develop academic and other relevant capacities simultaneously. Eventually, it helps them to adjust to the needs of the workforce faster. Besides, employers save their time and energy by hiring skilled candidates with a shorter learning curve (training and settling period).

How Can Technology Revolutionize Vocational Education in India?

With the anytime, anywhere learning paradigm, vocational learning is not limited to a physical school/institution. Edtech extends this access to all people with a constraint to attend a physical class. It is easy to acquire job-relevant skills virtually with responsive training models. Especially in India, where 65% of our population resides in rural areas, technology has the best solutions to shape skilled generations. From career-supportive electives to wider subject choices, Indian students can now get early exposure to vocational courses by simply joining an online school/online vocational course. This gives them an edge to learn as per their preference, and they need not make any adjustments for either coursework or academics because of the flexibility offered by the virtual medium.

Final Thoughts

To equip our students for the changing future, hands-on learning, and vocational study are a NEED OF THE HOUR!

Today, when skills have surpassed the value of academic qualifications, we must shift our focus from ‘FOUNDATIONAL LITERACY’ to building ‘21st- CENTURY SKILLS’. It is true that the complexity of life is at an ALL-TIME HIGH. But the opportunities are also LIMITLESS too!

Addressing the skills need is life-changing, so let’s FOCUS on what truly matters, and get our younger generations ready to FIT IN the global workforce!

Thanks for Reading!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do vocational courses help students in their career pathways?
Indian youth need to be workforce-ready to explore the best career choices. A vocational school builds the right skills that they need to explore the best career opportunities. Our education system often fails to align with the needs of the global job market. Vocational study helps with this.
How is a vocational school different from a regular school?
A vocational school runs training programs that help individuals develop the competencies required in a specific field. On the other hand, a regular school has a mix of subjects and focuses on the holistic development of a student.

Vocational Education in India: A Launch Pad to The Future

What is Vocational Education

What is the Importance of Vocational Education in India? &