Identifying Gaps between Aspirations of Youth and Offerings in Skill Training
Introduction
The concept of a demographic dividend - a situation where a large working-age population can drive economic growth - has been widely discussed in India. Policies and programmes have been introduced for skill development of youth towards achieving this demographic dividend. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emphasizes vocational exposure from Class 6 onwards through bagless days, and other initiatives like the National Skill Development Mission have been discussed in detail on various platforms.
However, despite all these efforts and promises, many youths, particularly from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds, are found to be struggling to achieve their aspirations through existing skill training programmes. This article explores the gaps between youth aspirations and the skill training market and briefly discusses how these gaps could be addressed to fully realize India’s demographic dividend.
Let us first understand the facts about Youth Aspirations versus Reality of Employment.
1. Government Job Aspirations and Declining Opportunities:
A significant number of young people, especially from rural and lower-income backgrounds, aspire to get into government jobs due to factors like job security, fixed salary and time-bound increments, along with social status. Many of them invest their most productive years and their parents’ hard-earned money in preparing for competitive exams or recruitment drives for Police, Army, Railways, and other government sectors. However, the reality is that:
- Recruitment processes in this sector are either slow or irregular.
- Many government positions are now being filled on a temporary contract basis.
- The number of permanent government job vacancies is decreasing.
- Private sector jobs do not match the security and benefits of government jobs, leading to frustration among youth, resulting in financial loss as well as emotional distress.
2. The Illusion of Overseas Job Opportunities:
There is a growing belief that technical education can secure well-paying jobs in countries such as the Gulf, Germany, and more recently added destinations like Israel. For example, Department of School Education and Sports, Government of Maharashtra vide Government Resolution No. Skills 2024/No.51/SD-6, dated 11th July 2024, has declared sister state relationship with Baden-Württemberg Germany, offering vocational training courses for 20+ professions like Nursing and Caregiving, Housekeeping, Electricians, Painters, Carpenters, Plumbers, Mechanics, Masonry Work, Security Guards, etc. The state government is offering vocational training and German language training support to aspirants; however, the Government has kept themselves free of any liabilities such as job assurance, travel costs to Germany, and any claims against loss of health or life abroad, through section 3 of this GR.
This raises concerns about whether such initiatives genuinely benefit youth or simply shift responsibility onto individuals without ensuring employment security. This is just one example within the system. There are several other non-Government agencies facilitating such transitions, with a lot of scope for improvement. This aspect needs to be discussed along with promotion of vocational skill training among youth.
3. The Disillusionment with Formal Education:
For first-generation learners from marginalized communities, completing formal education is already a challenge. Despite their efforts and after spending 12 to 15 years to graduate from a formal college, they often find that job assurance is lacking even after higher education and they are expected to undergo additional vocational or skill training.
This leads to disillusionment with formal education, discouraging younger children from continuing school. In a way, the system seems to be forcing the youth into expensive, additional training programmes without acknowledging their struggles of survival and coping up with the market requirements. Here, offering free vocational training courses does not solve the problem as the youth have to invest their time, too.
Let us now see the issues in the current Skill Training Market.
1. Non-convincing Short-Term Vocational Courses:
Various short-term vocational courses like office assistant, gym trainer, beautician, fashion designing (which is actually stitching or tailoring), nursing, and mobile repairing are offered by private institutes. These courses typically run for 3 to 6 months, and the salary after completion ranges from Rs.5,000 to Rs.20,000 per month, if jobs are available.
However, many trained youth do not find suitable jobs and instead take up gig jobs such as delivery agents for Zomato, Swiggy, or Amazon, and drivers for Ola and Uber. These jobs do not require vocational training and offer no job security or career growth, making the training efforts ineffective.
Such experiences of students from previous batches are creating challenges for institutes in mobilizing students for next batches. Some of the vocational training institutes in Pune have started offering an upfront commission against enrollment for their courses.
2. Poor Linkage Between Employment and Training:
The Employment Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act, 1959 was designed to ensure that unfilled job vacancies would guide the launch of relevant vocational courses in ITI and polytechnic institutes in and around the industrial area. However, vocational courses seem to be launched without clear employment demand. On their part, employers do not always report skill shortages to the appropriate Government agencies. The provisions in Acts and policies thus remain largely ineffective in aligning vocational training with market needs.
3. Gender-Based Vocational Training Choices:
Gender plays a significant role in vocational training choices. Institutes often find it easier to convince female students and their parents to opt for courses like beauty services and fashion designing (or stitching) because these professions involve limited male interaction and parents find them socially acceptable.
However, these courses are in fact found to be reinforcing patriarchal norms rather than promote gender equity in employment and society. On the other hand, non-traditional trades such as petrol pump attendants, driving, or delivery services are discouraged for women due to safety and dignity concerns.
4. The Myth of Self-Employment Through Short-Term Vocational Training:
Many vocational courses claim to promote self-employment, but this is often misleading. The reality is that such trainings do not cover essential business skills like marketing, finance, or customer management. No financial support is provided to first-generation entrepreneurs attending these courses. Market saturation occurs when multiple trainees from the same area acquire the same skill. For example, if 50 women from the same community are trained in stitching or baking, who will buy their products? This creates false hope and eventually leads to underemployment.
Another topic under the carpet is Children in Conflict with Law and Vocational Training as a measure for their rehabilitation. Under Section 18 (2) (ii) of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, recommended orders regarding children found to be in conflict with law include an order to attend a vocational training centre. Having worked closely with children and young adults exposed to or accused of unlawful activities, a troubling pattern is observed among children dropping out of school due to uncertainty about job prospects and being pushed into child labour and even unlawful activities. Once they enter the legal system, vocational training is imposed as a reform measure. This reactive approach fails to address the root causes.
It is important to note and discuss the Changing Employment Patterns. Modern job opportunities are shifting from traditional office jobs to gig work (such as food delivery and driving) which pose challenges like uncertain work hours, no employment benefits such as pension and insurance, and lack of long-term career growth opportunities.
Vocational training institutes are now found to be ‘convincing’ students to join their courses, rather than providing informed career counseling and choices that suit their capacities and aspirations.
Another interesting point to note here is the biased approach in declaring someone fit for vocational training. Failure to secure decent marks in formal education is becoming the basis of sending children from less privileged backgrounds to vocational training courses. Similar failure of a child from a more privileged background results in more spending on special coaching and payment of higher fees for higher education in renowned institutes. This aspect needs to be studied further and corrected, if need be.
Coming towards some recommendations for bridging the gap through possible solutions such as -
1. Aligning Vocational Training with Market Demand, for which employers should mandatorily report skill shortages to Government agencies and vocational courses should be introduced on actual industry needs.
2. Strengthening Employment Linkages by ensuring job placement and retention assistance after completion of vocational training courses. Government intervention is recommended in terms of subsidies or incentives for companies hiring skilled youth.
3. Expanding Options of Gender-Inclusive Courses by encouraging women to take up better-paying technical courses like electric work, plumbing, etc. This effort also needs to be supported by offering equal incentives and safety support for women in non-traditional job environments.
4. Making Self-Employment a Realistic Goal by including entrepreneurship training in vocational courses. Provision of micro-loans or seed funding for first-generation entrepreneurs is recommended.
5. Restructuring Government Job Aspirations by conducting awareness campaigns with youth and their parents, to reduce unrealistic government job expectations and to promote alternative careers with stability and growth potential.
Conclusion:
India's youth aspirations and skill training market are not aligned, leading to frustration and economic inefficiency. Without structured reforms, the country risks wasting its demographic dividend. A collaborative approach involving government, private sector, and communities is necessary to bridge this gap. Only then can we hope that skill development becomes a true driver of economic growth and social mobility.
31st of January 2025
~ Mandar Shinde
Mobile - 9822401246
Email - shindemandar@yahoo.com
Youth Aspirations & Skill Training
