Context:
Recently, the Union Ministers launched the World Bank’s report, Jobs at Your Doorstep: A Jobs Diagnostics for Young People in the Six States.
More on the news:
- The World Bank supports the Ministry of Education through its Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States (STARS) program, which focuses on six states: – Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Rajasthan, collectively known as the STARS states.
- The study identified key sectors offering high-demand jobs for students transitioning from school to work.
- The report is a skills gap analysis that aims to match the trades taught in schools with the industry needs of the local areas where the schools are located.
- This report underscores the significant benefits of embedding skill-based education from grades 9-12 to prepare students for diverse career paths relying on a bottom-up approach in the 6 STARS states.
Key Findings of the report:
- Services sector jobs and agriculture income enhancement present large opportunities for school-based skilling.
- 14 sectors and corresponding trades can cater to the majority of high-demand jobs for school to work.
Sector wise findings:
- Services Sector:
- Major job opportunities in retail, IT, banking, and other services.
- These jobs require multi-skill exposure and employability skills.
Agriculture Sector:
- School-based skilling can boost farm productivity and income.
- Key areas for job creation: horticulture, dairy farming, livestock health, and aquaculture.
Mining Sector:
- Limited job opportunities due to hazardous work conditions and a demand for unskilled labor.
Manufacturing Sector:
- MSMEs (small businesses) and large industries offer medium-level opportunities.
- MSMEs seek multi-skilled workers, while large industries need workers with specific certifications.
Recommendations for Skill Education:
- Expand access to Skill Education (SE) in more schools; establish Skill Hubs.
- Offer a revised set of broad-based trades targeting multiple job roles per trade.
- Realign trades to school mapping basis the local economy.
- Focus on broader employability skills along with technical trade skills.
- Enhance learning infrastructure and focus on experiential pedagogy.
- Build mechanisms to engage qualified trainers with industry experience.
- Strengthen assessments to test for skills proficiency.
- Develop a deep and ongoing partnership with industry.
- Change perceptions around skill education; effectively counsel students and parents to enhance the skill level of the upcoming workforce.