“Collaboration should be about evolution and not revolution”
— Raj Gilda, Co-founder, Lend-A-Hand
A noble quote that justly defines the collaboration between J.P Morgan, UnLtd India & 4th Wheel Social Impact for the Learning Journey series – Skilling Matters.
A mere 2% of the Indian population has received any form of skilling which is lower than most developing countries. By 2020, it is estimated that India will need about 10-crore skilled personnel across 19 key sectors which makes up for about 95% of the economy.
In such a dire situation, a dialogue needs to be created regarding skilling and its future which is exactly what the event held on 20th March 2018 sought out to do. The day consisted of 2 panels, focusing on Micro Entrepreneurship & Effective Collaborations within the skill development space.
The first panel primarily focused on the importance of self-training and entrepreneurship as a direct outcome of skilling. The panel discussed the vital role played by small medium-sized businesses in creating jobs and the advantage of providing skilling to such entrepreneurs.
Another point of discussion was the need for the entrepreneurship curriculum taught across the country to be directed towards holistic learning filled with specific training moulded to everyday demands. The panel also touched upon the investment required by funders in more innovative ideas and the need to take risks which will help entrepreneurs be more confident to test out sustainable solutions.
The audience was left thinking about what the future holds for skilling in India and how that can be worked upon with support from the Government & other organisations.
The next panel focused on exactly this aspect – Multi-stakeholder collaborations as a strategy for bringing about positive systemic change in skilling.
The panellists mainly discussed how collaborations should not just focus on funding but also on creating a workforce of skilled individuals who can take the economic burden on their shoulders and take the country to new heights. The discussion revolved around how collaborations can help in balancing out the supply and demand of the workforce in the nation. A common platform for employable candidates, trainers & institutes would be an ideal solution.
By putting minds & resources together, India has the opportunity to create a globally skilled workforce that would give tough competition to other nations in the long run.
Post discussion, the event was open to a networking session among panellists and audience members. The participants left for the day with a feeling of hope for the future and the resolution to build and implement impactful skill development programmes.
“When you start at a low-base (India having only 1 out of 20 skilled individuals), it should not seem like a mammoth challenge but as an opportunity to grow into a strong nation.”— Kalpana Morparia, SCO, JP Morgan
This blog is written by Poorvaja Sundar, Research Associate at 4th Wheel Social Impact.
