Skilling@Home: Let the Journey Begin

Ashim Bhuyan

Skilling of each citizen in general, and, the young generation in particular, is a challenge the society is to face and resolve. In today’s India, every year, thousands of young people graduate in different disciplines, and are ready for jobs. There are only a few who want to be on their own, and do something as an entrepreneur or businessperson. Even fewer become professional sportspersons or take up other disciplines as a career or profession. But majority of the young people would look for a cushy job.

However, unfortunately, a vast majority of the job-seekers are very low on basic human skills, including lack of appropriate human behaviour, attitude and human interaction. The young generation lack basic soft skills required in the real world. As a result, for example, we now have most MBAs and engineering graduates looking for and then getting jobs, not necessarily meant for them. Rather, I would go on to say that MBA is now primarily MODERN BA. Basically, cases of over qualified job seekers taking up not so suitable jobs, is a classic case of under-employment.

Let us now examine two scenarios.

Scenario 1: In the mad rush to get a so-called “good” degree like MBA, BE, BTech etc, we have lost sight of the actual meaning of education in general, and more specifically, the meaning of higher qualification. I have come across many so-called “well-qualified” young people becoming, for example, salesmen in different organizations and companies. Becoming salesmen is not an issue, but these are desperate moves rather than choices, and suitability of employment. Many times, young people find themselves misfit in such roles.

It’s time to do a reality check. In real life, more so in today’s world, degrees hardly matter. It’s the skills that we have, the value-addition that one brings to the table, the contribution one can give that actually matters. This, in fact, is the reality.

Many young people from the Northeast go to far-off places in the country to acquire a management degree or diploma. All that they actually do is waste a lot of energy, and, of course, money, to acquire less worthy degrees. There is lot of parental and societal pressure, too, to acquire such degrees.

Scenario 2: It has also come to light that many job-seekers are not properly equipped to properly apply for jobs; for that matter, even fill up job application forms. The Railways, for example, announce recruitment for various posts off and on. For lower or clerical-level posts in groups C and D’], the number of vacancies is also on a higher side. However, job-seekers from Assam and other areas of this part of the country are not able to properly fill up the job applications forms, and this leads to rejection of loads of job applications. On the other hand, applicants from other States, especially those from Bihar and West Bengal, do this job decently, and hence are in a position to occupy these posts. Every now and then, there would be hue and cry that there is discrimination against the local candidates; but the fact of the matter is that candidates from this part of the country are not even in a position to fill up the applications properly. This needs a lot of introspection and remedial measures.

Our schools, colleges, and other educational institutions do not prepare our future generations with skills that are very basic in nature. The above two scenarios amplify the state of affairs. Corrective action is required at the earliest in order rectify such issues.

The best place to start this is at home, the immediate neighbourhood, and, of course, the society in general. A conducive environment is required so that young people are able to grasp the reality and are able to grow and develop themselves. Human behaviour like respecting one another, discipline, hard work, focus, excellence, and other core values are extremely important to grow and develop the young generation. At present, there is mad rush to bring better grades and marks in schools, colleges etc at the cost of other core values that would make the young generation more equipped for life, and more importantly, better humans and better citizens. It is the attitude that would matter the most, and this is what needs to be inculcated from one’s childhood. Presently, we seem to be looking for short-cuts to achieve short-term and very temporary goals and objectives.

Trends and studies show that today’s youth, especially of this part of the country, is mentally weak and is less capable of confronting the challenges of life. In the mad rush to get higher grades and degrees, the youth is weak in relationship skills, human skills and life skills, apart from other qualities like honesty, sincerity, hard work etc. There may be few exceptions, but in general this is the trend.

Today’s young generation grow up with multiple options and choices, and to a large extent, there is more affluence and abundance compared to earlier times. Information technology (IT) has made it possible for young generation to access myriad layers of information as also privacy. Though IT might have helped by and large, it has, along with other challenges and options, also made today’s youth quite weak and confused. This, coupled with parental and societal, and most importantly, peer pressures, has made most youths very vulnerable. Lack of guidance, support system etc has also made today’s youth pleasure-seeking; drug and substance abuse, sleep disorders, mental and relationship problems, etc are signs of the this, reflected in many unhealthy issues.

It is in this perspective that skilling ourselves, and more importantly, today’s youth, assumes significance. Relationship skills, core values of humanity, patience, sincerity, honesty etc are most important, and need to be imbibed from an early age. These skills need a lot of time to internalize. Other skills, which are taught in academic institutions like schools, colleges etc, can be learned, even otherwise. Ask any employer, and almost anyone would say that actual skills required for a job are only learned on the job. Employers value honesty, relationships-building skills, sincerity, hard work, patience etc much more than other skills. The same quality would be even more important if one is to become an entrepreneur or a businessperson.

The present young generation may appear confident, adept in technology, but beneath the veil is a confused and directionless youth.

Parents and the society must recognize this and work to resolve this in order to usher in a better future for their children and wards. At present, this is terribly missing. We ought to remember that in the hands of the young generation lies the future of the society, the nation, and of course, the humanity.

The best time to do this is now, and the starting place to acquire the skills, characters and qualities of human relationship, honesty, loyalty, sincerity, hard work, love, care etc is at home, and in the immediate neighbourhood. Home is the place to begin, under the guidance of parents, elders, guardians. There can be no better place than home, from an early age, to imbibe these qualities and habits in our young people. Therefore, Skilling@Home has become even more important for a better future for the youths, and the society in general.