1. The Pressing Need of the Hour
Vocational Training
The Pressing Need of the Hour
Presented by:
Rachna Mohotra
Principal, DPS Azad Nagar, Kanpur

2. According to the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) and Human Resources firm Ma Foi Randstad, less than 20% of the workforce that enters the labour market every year in India is skilled.

3. “The nature of learning has changed but our educational institutions haven’t kept pace with that…..”
Kapil Sibbal
Quoted in Ascent(TOI) dated 3rd November 2010

4. Why Vocational Education?
The result is that what we’re taught in educational institutions is different from what is required at the workplace.
The challenge is to make the dissemination of knowledge at the university level relevant to the employer .

5. Job Types Catered to by VET
Based on Manual / Practical Activity
Traditionally Non-Academic
Totally related to a specific Trade/Vocation/ Technology/Techniques

6. Artificial Jewellery Making
Tourism and Travel
Bakery and Confectionery
IT Application
Automobile Technology
Ophthalmic Techniques
Medical Laboratory Technology
X-Ray Technician
Auxiliary Nursing & Midwifery
Health Care and Beauty Culture

7. Fashion Design & Clothing Construction
Textile Design Dyeing & Printing
Library Management
Life Insurance
Poultry Farming
Animal Husbandry
Pottery & Ceramics
Horticulture

8. Key Aspects: Vocational Education
Vocational School Accreditation
Acceptability of Vocational Courses
Employability of Vocational Students
The Role of Schools
Partnership with Industry to develop Relevant Curriculum

9. Vocational School Accreditation
Vocational schools should be accredited, just as any other educational institution should be.
Accreditation ensures that skills are being learned from a reliable source; that the education is sound and of good quality.
Additionally, often employers will not consider graduates from unaccredited institutions for employment.

10. Acceptability of Vocational Courses
If the employability of vocational students is ensured.
If the course enables students to acquire usable skills as required by the employers.
If Recruitment Rules are amended for giving preference to students trained in specific vocational skills.

11. Employability of Vocational Students
One of the weaknesses of the Indian education system is that it does not give due importance to vocational education.
As a result there is a mismatch between skilled manpower required and skilled manpower available.
Every year we churn out millions of graduates who do not have the specific skill sets required by the market.
If this trend continues it would hurt our economic growth in the long run.

12. There are 6800 schools, almost all in the public sector, enrolling close to 400,000 students in the vocational education scheme – utilizing just 40 percent of the available student capacity in these institutions.

13. The Role of Schools
Providing Vocational guidance to students, parents and teachers where the aim would be to educate them about job opportunities available.
Providing facilities for on-the-job training and placement by working in collaboration with employers.
Apart from these, Existing State Bureaus of educational and vocational guidance should undertake the responsibility of training teachers in consultation with the NCERT for their respective States.

14. Essentials for a Successful Vocational Education Programme
The credibility of the programme depends on its quality, relevance and acceptability.
Trainers to train the teachers would need to be trained first.
Criteria of equivalence among the vocational, technical and academic courses should be established.
Development of the curricular should be done in consultation with the employers.

15. What we can learn from U.S.A. and Japan
The curriculum is more flexible and applicable and encourages students to innovate.
The preparation of teaching material is directly linked to real- life situations. A problem often has different solutions and students are encouraged to solve problems on their own.
Teachers are encouraged to work with the belief that every student has special talents and ability to succeed. Their work with students is aimed at discovering those special talents.
Teachers play a guiding role and teaching methods use more conversation-style or discussion-style techniques. Students are encouraged to ask questions.

16. One of the biggest benefits of Vocational Education is that it helps students become self-reliant at a young age.