Vocational education, in the last few years, has gained popularity. For those who want to gain knowledge in a different manner and in a more flexible environment, then, a training in this field will go a long way in building a good career, says ASHWINI BHAVE
Vocational education, an age-old apprenticeship system of learning, is considered less attractive as compared to the traditional courses has led to the widening gap between the supply and demand for skilled manpower across various industries directly impacting the shortage of skills leading to unemployment. Unfortunately, it is viewed for people from a lesser financial background which have resulted in the declining popularity of this area as middle class and elite class are structured into following academic and take up conventional degrees.
But now, vocational studies is gaining popularity due to Government initiative to improve it and make higher education more job-oriented. UGC’s Vocational Education Cell, after recognising the issue of shortage of trained professionals and the necessity for development of employability skills among students, and the central board is currently offering 34 vocational courses consisting of 97 subjects.
Vocational education is education based on occupation or employment is education that prepares people for specific trades, crafts and careers at various levels from a trade, a craft, technician, or a professional position like in engineering, accountancy, nursing, medicine, architecture, medicine, architecture, pharmacy, law etc. The end result of vocational education is to enable an individual to attain self-employment.
This kind of education is primarily at the secondary, post-secondary level and is a way to prepare for a specific career. Either after Class XII or even after graduation, students are able to immediately begin work in areas that are often in very high demand. During vocational education students train under experts in their chosen field, and participate in a lot of hands-on work rather than in classrooms studying from books.
Vocational education is designed to teach students everything they need to know about working in a particular field, and are usually able to transform people who enter with no developed skills into expert-level workers. Vocational skills training is very critical as it can turn around the situation and empower the unskilled pool of youth with a better future and career prospects. ITI’s represented vocational training in India.
Today, with high growth path which has opened up career opportunities in various new sectors need trained manpower to cater to their growth and their requirements are beyond the capabilities of a formal ITI system. India’s fast economic recovery and overall development has opened up an unprecedented number of job opportunities in services sectors which will need 2 million to cater to the demands in the next two years. Besides the future jobs, India is already facing a manpower shortage due to low quality of skilled labour available. Therefore, vocational education is very critical in order to equip the students with skill sets fine-tuned to industry/job requirements which enable them to grab the best jobs in shortest possible time.
It exists in industries like retail, tourism, information technology, funeral services and cosmetics, as well as in the traditional crafts and cottage industries. Vocational courses included include: Accountancy and auditing, administrative, agriculture, air conditioning and refrigeration technology, architectural draughtsmanship, audio engineering, automobile technology, banking, beekeeping, book publishing, carpentry, computer operator and programme assistant, cosmetology, craftsmanship, electrical technician, etc.
The training is available in several State and Central Government organisations, non-profit groups and academic institutions and sometimes even in private companies. Candidates with strong vocational education background can opt for lecturer and teaching roles in the polytechnic colleges and vocational training institutes.
Eligibility & skills
Students who have completed their Class X or have an equivalent diploma from polytechnics are eligible to pursue vocational education instead of going to college for higher education. Courses that focus on basic employability skills such as spoken and written English and workplace skills are also taught. Students and sometimes even adults who are looking to change careers enroll at Industrial Training Institutes and at private coaching institutes that offer vocational training.
Benefits
Vocational training gives dual advantage of traditional knowledge as well as vocational skills
The focus is on specialised as supposed to a generalised understanding of the disciplines
They offer a realistic insight into the requirements of particular types of jobs
Students develop skilled manpower through diversified courses to meet the requirements of unorganised sector
Bridges the gap between the skilled manpower required and skilled manpower available.
(The writer is head psychologist, www.careerco.in)