Skill Letts
VIEWS, VOICE & WAYS OF SKILLS
An in house journal of Additional Skill Acquisition Programme
With emphasis on multiple choice questions, a condition has been created where student can score high marks without learning to express clearly their thoughts verbally or in written language. Since language is the vehicle of thought, this weakening of language learning has in turn weakened the ability of the students to grasp higher ideas. As time progressed, we as a nation upgraded our prospects on almost everything. But we had gone down in the quality of public sector education.
Skill Education, Challenge Ahead
The meaning of“ skill” is‘ ability to use one’ s knowledge effectively and readily in execution or performance’. Here is the prime importance of the Kerala Government initiated programme ASAP( Additional Skill Acquisition Programme). The programme intended to make students future ready. In the changing world scenario with regard to industry and the job market, there is now an over powering need for skill workers. However, the definition of skill in India and the world in general, has also changed over recent years. As president Shri. Pranab Mukherjee said in a recently organized CII event in Kolkata
“ we often boast about India’ s demographic dividend. But the question arises is what we do with this if we cannot skill them, if we cannot educate them and cannot enhance their employability.”
Employability
National Educational Policy( NEP-2016), gives emphasis for a job oriented education. In NEP 2016 it states that“ the need for the development of human skills, including life skills that meet the demands of the emerging knowledge economy and society highlights the need to promote the acquisition by learners of knowledge and skills on life-long basis to enhance their capacity to adapt the changing skill requirements( NEP, page 4). Only by providing quality skill education and application level education, we will be able to make out good employable citizens. India is one of the youngest nation in the world with more than 25 years of age, it is estimated that there will be 104.62 million fresh entrants to the work force by 2022 that will need to be skilled.
To enhance employability a blend of education and skills is essential for individual growth and economic development. About 90 % of employment opportunities require vocational skills. Only 20 % of our graduates get employed. The rest are unable to get suitable employment due to the lack of employable skills. In the present context of globalization, the demand for skilled and multi-skilled workers has increased. In general apart from the core subject expertise, some of the prominent employable skill that employers seek are: communication skill( verbal and written), commercial awareness, attitude towards work, lifelong learning’ s, self-management, teamwork, problem solving, initiative, self-motivation, adaptability, stress management creativity, interpersonal sensitivity, technology IT skills. The Government of Kerala Skill initiatives ASAP is a golden step. ASAP has developed as one stop point for skilling in Kerala, but challenges ahead is not a cake walk. ASAP has to go a long way ahead.
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Volume 2 Issue 3, March 2017 13