Franz Probst, co-founder and chairman, SkillSonics India, talks on how the organisation provides solutions to India’s skilling challenges | The year 2008 marked the 60th anniversary of the friendship treaty between India and Switzerland. In that year the project to adapt Swiss Vocational Education and Training (VET) to India began after Swiss companies in India had voiced a need for such a project. At a formal celebration in autumn 2008, the Swiss Vocational Education and Training Initiative India (SVETI) was launched by the Swiss Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology (OPET) and the Swiss- Indian Chamber of Commerce (SICC). SICC was engaged to implement the pilot project bringing the Swiss dual track VET model to India in partnership with the organisation of the Swiss Mechanical and Electrical Manufacturing Industries (Swissmem) and the Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (SFIVET).
Elaborating further Probst said, “Seven Swiss, one Indian and one German company participated in this private sector driven pilot project in India’s manufacturing sector which was supported by the states of Karnataka and Maharashtra as well as CII and FICCI. Since 2012, SkillSonics India, Bangalore, a partner company of the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) is carrying the Swiss VET initiative forward.”
The pilot project was completed successfully in 2013 and the model is currently being rolled out to more companies and states. So far, over 300 apprentices and 170+ trainers have been trained in the dual track public-private partnership mode in India and over 3000 technicians up skilled. “In India today, there is yet an insufficient coordination between training and the industry’s need,” stated Probst. Education has for a long time emphasised theoretical knowledge over practical experience. India’s target is to train over 500 million of the workforce by 2022.
“Today, the government and private industrial training institutes have the capacity to train approximately three million students per annum. However, it is not only a quantitative shortfall that needs to be addressed but considering that 50% of India’s industry cites difficulty in getting the right candidates for openings, there is a quality issue to be solved as well,” opined Probst.
Around 15 million people enter the job market every year. Only 9% of these entrants have any sort of training, formal or informal. While India has a huge young and willing workforce ready to drive the economy it lacks the training capacity to prepare these individuals for jobs that will be required in the present and future. Agreeing Probst added, “Building training capacity for sustainable skill development is a key goal for government, industry and academia of any country. However, it is the industry that holds the key to make this happen.
Following the setting up of the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) by the previous government there has been much action on the skill development front. However, a lot more needs to be done at a faster rate if India is not to lose out on the advantage of its demographic dividend. The industry has to take the lead. The government needs to create the framework that supports the industry in its efforts.”
As Switzerland, Germany and Austria show, strong private sector engagement in skill development, it has a significant impact on a country’s economic success and generates foreign investment and consequently, jobs. Increasing training capacity without taking the industry’s needs into consideration is detrimental in the long-term.
Therefore, industry participation in all sectors is required to determine training standards, achieve a balance between what the trainee wants and what the industry requires and ultimately, fix the demand supply equation for skilled technicians. It is through private sector participation that the link between education and the market place can be maintained.
“The Swiss VET apprenticeship model has achieved this link successfully through a balanced public-private partnership model where government and industry each have their roles and responsibilities,” averred Probst.
Moreover, host companies stand to benefit from engaging in training. According to a cost-benefit study conducted in Switzerland in 2009, gross costs of involvement in VET amounted to CHF 5.3 billion (Rs 341.5 billion). This figure was outweighed by the productive output generated by trainees, which amounted to CHF 5.8 billion (Rs 373.7 billion).
The approach followed by SkillSonics adapts Swiss content and pedagogical methods to the Indian context. The Swiss dual track model is aligned to India’s existing vocational training infrastructure involving government, industry and institutes.
“In its most rigorous form, the company selects its apprentice and commits to his/ her in-house training. The apprentice learns theory at institutes accredited by the government (for example, an ITI) and receives practical training (including productive assignments) at his/her host company. In another delivery form supported by SkillSonics, smaller companies form clusters and share their infrastructure to allow in-house apprentice training,” affirmed Probst.
SkillSonics also trains the trainers at the institutes and at the company in teaching, training and mentoring methods, provides the courseware and monitors the deliverables periodically to ensure quality “We also conduct rigorous assessments at regular intervals during training. Through SkillSonics’ medium and long term courses, the apprentice is trained to international standards and obtains national as well as Swissmem certification. However, in line with industry requirements in India, we also offer and conduct a variety of intensive, short-term courses for existing technicians based on specific skill requirements in the company,” avowed Probst.
SkillSonics’ approach to vocational training is determined by the industry’s demand for skilled talent. Since, companies assume an active role by providing trainers, selecting the technicians to be trained and committing to their training, the company’s requirements for skilled technicians are met in terms of quantity and quality.
“The industry-relevant content, delivery method (theoretical and practical training as well as productive assignments) and rigorous assessment offered by SkillSonics ensure that international skill levels are reached,” said Probst. He further added, “This improves employability of the apprentices and trainees and sets them on a promising career path. The approach to VET also attracts good talent to this career path which is often perceived as lower in status rather than as an alternative way to start a career.
In the long term, the SkillSonics’ model creates an effective and endurable approach to skilling. While long term solutions which connect industry and skilled workers are needed, the Indian economy is also looking at short term solutions in the form of courses that are less than six months in duration in order to address immediate skilling requirements. These can be remedial courses for new graduates or short term technical courses for specific skills (CNC manufacturing, hydraulics/pneumatics etc.).
Recognising this need, SkillSonics offers such short-term courses. “We are also in the process of matching our courses to the vocational education standardisation framework being implemented by the government through NSDC,” said Probst. These are exciting times to be present in the arena of skill development in India.
The new government’s agenda and increased private participation will increase the likelihood that India reaches its targets for skilled workers. In this regard, Skill- Sonics aims to contribute to this target by training one million people to international skill levels by the year 2022.