Will you ask a doctor to show their school grades, no right? Because what they scored in the school exams doesn’t matter, compared to the skills they possess. Skills are your assets in the 21st century and for that, you need experience, knowledge, and practice.
Think about it logically, a student who completes their schooling, then enrols in a university, and then finally lands a job or maybe an internship. That’s when they learn or build the technical skills required to survive in this world. Now, imagine a child needs to turn 20 to build some real skills; the gap is huge! But the system is changing. Skills a child will learn at 20 can now be learned at 16 or sooner, with the help of Vocational Studies.
Vocational Studies are taking centre stage in schools, especially after NEP 2020. Many schools in Greater Noida are actively integrating Vocational Learning into their curriculum and Sparsh International School is already leading the way towards skill-based education among its students.
What is Vocational Learning & Why is it Gaining Importance Now?
Vocational Learning is basically practical, skill-based learning where technical skills are taught to students to prepare them for specific future roles and occupations.
What a child gains here is the practical exposure, hands-on experience and industry training while still being in school. This bridges the gap between education and the skills needed for a future role, ensuring the child is moving towards the right career path.
Role of NEP in Vocational Studies
- The National Education Policy 2020 brought significant change to the educational landscape. The goal was very clear: to impart 21st-century skills to students.
- According to NEP, “by 2025, at least 50% of learners through the school and higher education system shall have exposure to vocational education.”
- The aim is to include skill-based learning in the mainstream educational system. Every child will learn at least one vocation, i.e. Marketing & sales, with several other vocational subjects in a phased manner.
If you wonder why the shift is essential, then the simple answer is that India needs a youth population that can take up the dynamic roles of the future. This can only be possible when a child is taught vocational education early in their life. Otherwise, they will spend half of their youth figuring out the skills and the other half looking for jobs.
What Vocational Education Teaches & How?
The Vocational Education is integrated into the school curriculum of classes 9 to 12. At the secondary level, i.e. 9th to 10th, vocational modules, which are skill-based units of learning, are taught. For classes 11th & 12th, these courses become compulsory elective subjects. The courses are selected based on Notional hours, age, qualifications, and the student’s stability.
Examples of vocational Modules taught in Indian Schools:
- IT & Computer Science: Coding, Data entry and Hardware basics
- Travel & Hospitality: Tour management & food services
- Retail Management: Customer handling, Inventory management and billing
- Healthcare: First aid, patient care and basic diagnosis
Each module covers theory, practical and assignment so that students can actually learn them like a core subject.
How Schools Can Bring Vocational Learning to Life:
The Secondary schools will have to collaborate with:
- Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), Polytechnics, Local Industry, etc.
- Dedicated skill labs need to be established within schools, ideally through a Hub and Spoke model
- Higher education institutions will offer vocational education either on their own or in partnership with industry and other institutions.
Benefits of Vocational Education for Students
Better Employment Opportunities
You might have heard this a lot, “There is no job in the market,” but this is actually not the case! There are jobs in the market that need specialised skills, for which most of the youth are not prepared. Vocational Education bridges the gap between the knowledge and skills required and provides a better chance of securing a good job in the future.
Reduces Cost, Saves Time
After school, many parents enrol their children in many courses, such as Python and graphic design. These courses come with a high cost and also demand 2-3 years of a student's life. Vocational studies make it easy for students to learn these skills while still in school, thus students do not have to waste their precious time and, of course, money.
Build Confidence
Vocational learning involves practical experience and hands-on learning, which gives a child confidence in their skills. For example, while learning about retail management, they get to handle clients, communicate with them, solve problems and build relationships. All these are very important life skills and learning them early on gives a child a lot more confidence and exposure, which no textbooks can offer.
Give Clarity & Remove Anxiety
“What will I do after school?” This question is so common among high school students. This happens because all these years, they have been buried under textbooks. Skill-based education eliminates this confusion and gives students clarity about their areas of interest, and equips them with technical skills. So, when a student leaves school, they are prepared for real-life situations.
Also Read: Shaping Young Entrepreneurs Through CCIE at SIS, Greater Noida
How Sparsh International School Supports Vocational Education
The top schools in Greater Noida and Delhi-NCR are prepared for the challenges the future is going to throw at the students. Sparsh International School recognised that academics alone cannot serve the future career demands, and students need to be prepared for that.
In 2017-18, Sparsh International School established its Centre of Vocational Education, a dedicated space where skill-based learning is taught with real-world relevance.
The Indian economy is growing at a very fast pace, creating new industries and opportunities that do not require A+ grades and a 4-year degree. They need the right skills, the right mindset and early exposure to how the industry works.
The Centre of Vocational Education is solely built to solve this purpose! Students at Sparsh International School can choose from a range of industry-aligned courses, including
- Marketing & Sales
- Banking & Insurance
- Retail management
- Bakery & Confectionery
- Information & Technology
- Media Management
- Travel & Tourism
All these are not mere subjects here, but they are included in the curriculum to help students develop an independent thought process and a clear career roadmap. So, by the time they complete their schooling, they know which skills they possess and what area of interest they have to pursue for higher education.
At Sparsh International School, Vocational Education is a forward-looking choice that gives students clarity and confidence to grow and prosper.
Final Note
India has a larger youth population than any other country and that’s either the greatest opportunity or a pressing challenge, depending upon what it chooses to do next.
Vocational Education is not an extracurricular activity; it should be taught actively in schools with utmost seriousness, just like science and maths. The skills learned in school stay forever in the mind of a child. India has already understood the importance of skill-based education and is making active efforts in that direction, so it's time for us to finally understand that vocational education is indeed the future of Indian Education.
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