Technical teachers’ training should be first on the list of priorities of the Govt if we are to produce an employable workforce
The need for effective technical teachers’ training is increasing the world over as no country can afford to ignore the impact of technology. Indeed, the rapid advances made in all technical and industrial fields in recent decades have determined the very contours of contemporary civilisation. These changes call for corresponding progress in technical education if technology is to be fully utilised for the betterment of mankind. Technical teachers’ training should be first on the list of priorities if mechanical education at all levels is to be developed and expanded. These teachers occupy a key position in the modern world as they form the link between the education system and the world of industry, agriculture, business and so on. It is they who are responsible for training an increasing number of skilled workers and technicians needed for economic and scientific progress of a nation. The training of technical teachers thus poses a great challenge to a developing country like ours.
According to the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), India has 6,214 engineering and technology institutions with 2.9 million students in them. A whopping 1.5 million engineers enter the job market every year. Of these, less than one per cent land jobs in the top 100 companies. Sadly, most of the technical graduates are unemployable as they lack in-depth knowledge across domains and client-handling skills. This is a major skill gap as the industry seeks people with 90 per cent technical and professional skills. However, 90 per cent of academic activities in the country still focus on imparting bookish knowledge, resulting in a vast academia-industry gap.
Other surveys reveal that over 80 per cent of the engineers the country produces are not employable and this situation has not improved in the last several years. This is reflected in the fact that only 13 lakh students took admissions to engineering and technology institutions in 2019-20 though India has 27 lakh seats for undergraduate (14 lakh), diploma (11 lakh) and postgraduate (1.8 lakh) students.
What will compound the crisis for entrants in the job market in the country is the fact that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies are making inroads into the workplace and a lot of mundane, repetitive tasks will be taken over by virtual personal assistants and chatbots. This will make more room for individuals to focus on creative and cognitive tasks. Gartner, Inc. predicts that these technologies will reduce/replace almost 69 per cent of the manager’s routine workload by 2024. Teachers are the key providers of technical training. In order to be able to produce students equipped with skills that can meet the requirements of the industry, there is a need to improve and enhance the pedagogical skills of technical teachers. Hence, it is important to foster linkages with the industry and other institutions for promotion of quality and relevant training. It will help increase the number of employable students and improve the quality of employment opportunities that come their way. It is a fact that economic development drives the demand for expertise and a high quality workforce in various fields, leading to a new round of development in technical education.
The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) is the statutory body and a national-level council for technical education, under the Department of Higher Education, MHRD. It is learnt to have developed a specific training module for technical teachers suited to their needs. They will be required to undergo eight modules of training and then a three-week long internship with the industry. It is also learnt that young professionals who aspire to teach in technical institutions, will have to sit for an examination on the lines of the National Eligibility Test (NET) for college and university teachers.
Though these are well thought out initiatives, they will not suffice. The changes in the workplace must be addressed by technical education institutions to ensure the genuine implementation of a regular learning mechanism leading to career development and long-term employment. Institutes must explore the means by which technical education can cooperate with the world of employment to ensure the relevance and employability of our human resources.
Moreover, progressive policies and legislation are needed to develop worthy teachers. There is a need for technical experts to provide professional, academic and research leadership in the field in order to support policy formulation, planning, development and implementation. Plus, there is a need to innovate and build partnerships with the industry at large.Technical teachers’ training calls for a deliberate intervention to bring about learning which would make people more relevant and productive in designated areas of economic and technological activities. It ought to be the Government’s concern as it has social implications. The country’s deepening job crisis has negatively affected the Government’s image. Therefore, it must have a coherent strategic approach to produce individuals equipped with saleable skills.
(The writer is former DGM, IIC, New Delhi and GM, International Centre Goa)