How Skill-based Learning Is Reshaping Career Paths Across Industries
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The New Education Policy 2023 has incorporated a holistic and integrated approach towards education where the focus is on multi -disciplinary learning, promoting critical and creative thinking with emphasis on skill development through Action Learning. Integrating it with building a comfort with technology and digital resources, a future ready workforce can take the nation to greater heights. There is an increased emphasis on the fact that higher education institutions need to target exponential growth to build a work-force that is future ready and can leverage technology, to lay the right foundation.
Skill-integrated higher education is the primary requirement for developing a workforce that is well-prepared for the industry. It is crucial to amalgamate diverse curriculums and models that prioritize sustainable livelihoods, leading to enhanced employability and the spark of entrepreneurship. The current need calls for an urgent focus on experiential and practical learning, which can bring about a significant transformation. Infact the government is also actively promoting the creation of an industry-ready workforce through various means, such as the implementation of National Occupational Standards (NOS) and the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) in universities.
The students can also learn on the job through B.Voc degrees offered by very selected universities of the country. Here, students learn while on their job as the industries have a tie up with the university to create a course structure that is a good mix of theory and practice. By the time the students pass out from the university they are equipped with multiple certificates by NSQF, opening better job prospects for them as they have better industry exposure. Such exposures are always better than one to four weeks internship that gives a myopic view of the industry instead of hands on training that can be attained at Action Learning Labs.
Another area of focus should be to make the entire system of education multidimensional and interdisciplinary so that it supports skill development process in the country. Such a system of education will help the students realise their true potential and prevent them from facing the Shakespearean dilemma. This can be done through more tie-ups with industries and by setting up Action Labs in the campus to provide exposure to the students about the working of the industry.
Over the years, Centurion University has established more than 50 such action labs or manufacturing units that are dedicated to various industries, and ensure that the students are ready for Industry 5.0. In addition to adopting a multidisciplinary approach, we foster a research culture aimed at addressing real-world challenges. The curriculum is inherently future-oriented, with a focus on sustainability. A curriculum model that integrates theoretical knowledge with practical experiences is crucial in higher education for developing a workforce ready for the industry. We have been enhancing employability and promoting entrepreneurship through various manufacturing units, such as apparel, furniture, paper and chalk, transformers, and e-vehicles, among other sectors. Moreover, we have prioritized product design and development domains, resulting in the registration of several patents and the incubation of startup ventures.
In today’s time we do have options when it comes to finding the right university and course that can hone a student’s skills. In the post-liberalised era human capital has assumed greater significance in the context of economic and social development. India is passing through a phase of transformation from being primarily agrarian economy to a more pro-industrial one requiring skilled and well-trained workforce. For creating an industry-ready workforce India needs to focus on improving learning outcomes of education at different levels. Hitherto education has been examination oriented and hence emerged to be sector where obtaining higher percentage of marks is more important than the actual and effective learning.
In today’s time skill-based education steered by Action Labs is not just important for students with low scores or school or college dropouts, but for toppers too, who wish to be armed with the best of skills and become employable immediately after college. Today there are lots of options available for multidisciplinary domain specializations with a practical based curriculum. Ultimately this fosters employment, employability and most importantly seeps the passion for entrepreneurship and students truly become industry ready immediately after completing their education. With this awareness as more and more students select a course aligned with their passion, aptitude, and interests, and subsequently refine their skills at the university, they will discover the path to success, and will succeed in whatever industry they choose.
Views expressed are personal
The author. Supriya Pattanayak, Vice Chancellor, Centurion University, Odisha
