The educational sector today has been growing and enhancing significantly. We see different progressive trends being adapted and worked on in order to help the up-and-coming generations to be better prepared for the future and also be better versions of themselves. One such emerging change that has been accepted by most is Vocational Training.
What is Vocational Training?
Vocational training is a training program that prepares a person with technical skills. These are mostly centered around a specific job, trade, occupation or vocation based on manual or practical activities. It offers practical knowledge which is traditionally non-academic and unlike the theoretical knowledge that the educational institutes typically offer. These are classroom instructions, hands-on training, or a combination of the two.
A few benefits of the courses include:
- It offers training for specific skills and jobs.
- It helps you perform your job better.
- It provides the much-needed skilled manpower to the industry.
And the growth of online learning has made this easy such that most of these training can now be taught via this medium. In fact during the lockdown most passionate learners decided to learn new skills via this method. There were online classes conducted on varied topics from cooking to makeup and art, and many learned the skills and enhanced their abilities.
Examples of Vocational Training
Some of the most surging vocational skills lately are:
Make-up and Beautician courses, Nail-art, Cooking and Baking, Physiotherapy, Accounting and bookkeeping, Pet grooming courses, Horticulture, Plumbing, Electrical training, Sewing, Stitching and Tailoring, Bike and car Mechanic courses.
Types of Vocational Training
In India, to consolidate skill development activities across the country, the government under the governance of PM Modi launched the Skill India Development Mission (NDSM). The aim is to make our country more skilled and train them in different expertise.
These Vocational training programs offered can be divided into 5 major types:
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Vocational courses as part of the school curriculum
Schools in India offer vocational courses as part of their regular curriculum. Alongwith the standard compulsory subjects, they offer a wide range of skill-based topics to choose from.
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Vocational courses by State Government
Many state governments offer such training outside formal education at a local level. There are over 70 centers, both owned and franchised that impart training in over 100 courses.
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Polytechnic diploma courses after 10th class
A polytechnic diploma is a 3year course in engineering approved by AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education). After completion of 10th grade as per the marks scored in the grade or an entrance exam, you can apply for BE or B.Tech courses. These make you eligible for various government and private sector jobs like a junior engineer, clerk, technician, IT assistant etc.
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Industrial Training Institute (ITI) Course
These are trade-focused secondary schools set up by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship of the central government. These offer training in over 130 trades and crafts and one can join it after qualifying their 8th grade. The course varies from 6months-2years and upon completion you are awarded a National Trade Certificate (NTC).
Popular disciplines include: Operator, Mechanic, Technician, Painter, etc.
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Skill development programs for small-scale industries
Industrial skill development programs for small-scale industries are offered by government and non-government organizations. These courses are of a 6 weeks duration. They also organize skill development programs (SDP) of 3-6 months, or even as short as a one-day workshop.
Conclusion
These courses make a person job ready, and the fact that these aren’t all theoretical helps one become more competent. In fact, the student performance is also based on the same competence.
And with the changing world, these are now easily acquired over online platforms as well, which further helps as at any stage of life a person can learn a new skill and make things better for themselves. Most opportunities are missed due to a lack of reach, and online teaching helps diminish the very same. With vocational courses too, e-platforms have proven to be a huge boon. Moreover, many work sectors have also said that job training via e-platforms has made things 15% simpler for them.
And to make it possible all one needs is a good online teaching app!
