Hopefully, we are not headed this direction!!

[RadX]

So many graduates, so few skilled

Almost half of India's 5m fresh degree holders each year are unemployable

 

- See more at: http://www.stasiareport.com/the-big-story/...h.GVE7Yl0b.dpuf

 

 

 

GIVEN his first-class degree in accountancy, young Kunal Gurab appears over-qualified for his current job as a data-entry executive at a leading Indian outsourcing firm.

"I took up this job because I failed to find a job of my choice in finance," said the 24-year-old employee at a call centre run by Tech Mahindra just outside New Delhi.

"In all job interviews, I was told my course did not teach me the skills needed for accounting or banking."

Mr Gurab's disconcerting discovery reflects the experience of almost half of the five million Indians who receive college degrees every year but are unemployable in an economy left thirsting for skilled hands.

Poor-quality education is largely responsible for the problem, alongside a lack of vocational training to develop job-relevant skills. A mismatch between students' aspirations and the job market is also to blame for the growing army of unemployable graduates in India.

Last month, in a first-of-its- kind employability audit among Indian graduates, hiring solutions company Aspiring Minds found that 47 per cent of the respondents were not worth recruiting because they lacked English fluency and skills such as problem solving or use of computer software.

"There is a mismatch in what our education system is producing and what industry is looking for," said Mr R.V. Kanoria, former head of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), one of India's top industry lobbies.

India has a workforce of about 480 million but, according to an FICCI estimate, only 5 per cent of that pool have "marketable skills", compared to 50-60 per cent in countries such as Japan and Germany.

Agriculture still employs over half of India's workforce in low-wage, low-productivity jobs even as labour needs shift from farming to industry.

This has massive implications for the country's young. More than half of India's 1.2 billion people are under the age of 30, and some 12 million Indians are expected to join the workforce every year over the next decade.

"We don't want a glut of educated unemployed in a skills-driven job market," said Mr Dilip Chenoy, CEO of the government-backed National Skill Development Corporation.

When India liberalised its economy in the 1990s, it helped improve living standards for millions, but its socialist-era education system remained heavily regulated, churning out a greater number of literates grown on a culture of rote learning and white-collar dreams.

Millions of educated Indians still lack fluency in English, the language of business in the former British colony.

In the growth years, that mattered less. Hundreds of technical schools opened overnight, producing graduates who were snapped up and then trained on the job. But as the economy slows, employers are getting pickier.

Experts said India must improve the quality of courses and teachers. It must also overcome a culture that values conventional education more than job-oriented vocational training.

The government is responding with an ambitious plan that aims to arm 500 million youth with employable skills by 2022. This includes building more skills training centres, developing curricula and training teachers.

Such is the talent crunch that some of India's famed information technology firms now fund skills development programmes in engineering schools.

"Of half a million engineers graduating every year, not more than a quarter are employable," said Mr Vinay Shirsat, founder of hiring firm Vindsor.

 

 

- See more at: http://www.stasiareport.com/the-big-story/...h.GVE7Yl0b.dpuf

[Jman888]

china produce 7 million graduate in a year, can replace the whole Singapore population [sweatdrop]

[Gitanic]

china produce 7 million graduate in a year, can replace the whole Singapore population [sweatdrop]

why u sweating?....they tighten immigration already right?

[RadX]

why u sweating?....they tighten immigration already right?

 

 

he one of the 7 million lah [laugh]

[Gitanic]

he one of the 7 million lah [laugh]

no wonder

[Myxilplix]

Shhh! Don't tell them that Singapore don't care about poor quality education or lack of relevant skills, just action alot during interview and ask for low pay can liao

[Kiadaw]

Many local graduates are not exactly fluent in English either (or any other language for that matters) in Singapore, & can explain very little that is not quote for quote from a source on anything technical.

 

Its the result of our education system, that focus little on communication skills, & too much on memorising, & practice with past years tests papers.

 

I should know, I was one of them. It took years of self learning & hard work to get to even an acceptable level as a professional.

 

Still better than India I guess, as it is so easy to get a degree that the quality drops & people are skeptical of hiring them, or giving them jobs. Doesn't help that many Indian (maybe its culture thing, but what we may have shared also , but maybe not the same level) that are especially boastful & inflated their abilities.

 

That's why often you hear, 'No problem,', 'Its easy', from these people. End up people do not take any claims from them seriously at all.

Edited July 20, 2013 by Kiadaw

[Celicar]

Not all first class degrees or first class honours are the same.

[Vid]

Just come to SG lor. Our gahmen open arms, open legs welcome them. No need skill, paper can already.

[Kiadaw]

Just come to SG lor. Our gahmen open arms, open legs welcome them. No need skill, paper can already.

You know what is India biggest export right?

[Bobby_tan]

And we still open our legs wide wide for these people...and coincidentally hor, our banking system which has most of the higher up positions occupied by these Indians, kena rated 'negative' recently...

Edited July 20, 2013 by Bobby_tan

[Vid]

You know what is India biggest export right?

 

Same as ah tiong land

Edited July 20, 2013 by Vid

[Spiderman302]

Many local graduates are not exactly fluent in English either (or any other language for that matters) in Singapore, & can explain very little that is not quote for quote from a source on anything technical.

 

Its the result of our education system, that focus little on communication skills, & too much on memorising, & practice with past years tests papers.

 

I should know, I was one of them. It took years of self learning & hard work to get to even an acceptable level as a professional.

 

Still better than India I guess, as it is so easy to get a degree that the quality drops & people are skeptical of hiring them, or giving them jobs. Doesn't help that many Indian (maybe its culture thing, but what we may have shared also , but maybe not the same level) that are especially boastful & inflated their abilities.

 

That's why often you hear, 'No problem,', 'Its easy', from these people. End up people do not take any claims from them seriously at all.

 

I disagree. Now the graduate can talk very well. They have been trained to present ideas. Good at coming out with nice presentation, reports.

BUt when come to the real work they cant.

Lots of scholars are like that. Talk talk talk.......only.

[Bobby_tan]

Same as ah tiong land

 

When LKY said that people are SG biggest resource, he was obviously looking at tiongland and india...

[Hydrocarbon]

Many local graduates are not exactly fluent in English either (or any other language for that matters) in Singapore, & can explain very little that is not quote for quote from a source on anything technical.

 

Its the result of our education system, that focus little on communication skills, & too much on memorising, & practice with past years tests papers.

 

I should know, I was one of them. It took years of self learning & hard work to get to even an acceptable level as a professional.

 

Still better than India I guess, as it is so easy to get a degree that the quality drops & people are skeptical of hiring them, or giving them jobs. Doesn't help that many Indian (maybe its culture thing, but what we may have shared also , but maybe not the same level) that are especially boastful & inflated their abilities.

 

That's why often you hear, 'No problem,', 'Its easy', from these people. End up people do not take any claims from them seriously at all.

 

Agree with you for the most part. Some uni grads can be quite proficient in their roles and tasks, but presentation wise, not that good. In the end, it's easy for the boss to think those who present the idea well as the one who came up with it. Not all uni grads are like this, but there's quite a large percentage who are not confident of speaking up, or are not fluent with English in a corporate setting.

 

Having worked with FTs, often, when they say "no problem", "sure can", I'll take with a pinch of salt.