Unemployment And Unfilled Employment Co-exist

As the world moves towards advanced technological developments, however, it wouldn’t be incorrect to say that our education system isn’t. Engineering colleges are still not conducting enough sessions on new-age technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, analytics, cloud, and machine learning which creates a skill gap in the industry

Skill gap 

Siddharthan VGJ, Founder & Managing Director, Bodhih Training says, “As our universities are churning out engineers galore, the problem of unemployment and unfilled employment opportunities both co-exist. This is a conundrum that cannot be solved easily.”

“On one side is the archaic syllabus offered by the engineering institutes. This does not prepare the students for a job, meeting the current market demands,” says Siddharthan. 

He adds, “When the lucky few who do manage to land a job reach the workplace, they find themselves in hot water! The companies then end up spending time effort and money in re-training the fresh graduates and in making them job ready. But this is what our education system should aim to do. The cost to the company also acts as a deterrent in hiring freshers into the system.”

Solution to the problem

Siddharthan states out the solution to the skills issue. He says, “This situation can be made better when educational institutions and companies join hands to work on the syllabus together. Thus matching market needs to the classroom curriculum.”

He concludes, “Apprenticeship is another great medium through which engineering students can get exposure to a real life job. Find out what is expected of them and work independently as well to develop those skills. If the current skill gap is addressed, then India would have a tremendously qualified workforce, one to be reckoned with.”

Rajguru Tandon

BW Reporters The author is a correspondent with BW Businessworld with keen interest in HR and employee welfare.