"Let us Focus On Life skills!!! It equip students to thrive in the classroom and in the world beyond!!!".

Skill based learning focuses on increasing employability through series of inputs to: Equip students with appropriate hands-on  skills which helps them to be job- ready. Core focus on job role  based skills leads to comprehensive specialisation, thereby increasing efficacy of the candidate.

Importance Of Skills Training In Today’s Education Ecosystem

A General View As To Why Skill Training Is Important In The Education Ecosystem, What Are The Benefits. How Does It Help One Grow.

Despite being world’s youngest country in terms of demographic dividend, India has only 2% of the workforce skilled compared with 96% in South Korea, 45% in China, 50-55% in USA & 74% in Germany. All these years, we focussed on building Higher Education and very little did we think of enhancing the Employability Quotient (EQ) and produce skilled manpower through skill training Interventions.

Indian Education sector has seen rapid growth in nos. of Institutions and students over last few decades. As per UGC report, in 1950-51 there were approx. 750 colleges affiliated to 30 universities, which has grown to over 727 universities, 35000 colleges & 13000 standalone Institutions in 2014-15 and counting.

Regardless of the tremendous growth, higher education has not proved too efficient to make youths of the country employable as per need of the employer due to low Skill Quotient (SQ).

In today’s world of Globalisation, Skill Training is an Integral component of increasing efficiency & productivity for sound economic development of any economy, In India, it’s still at a nascent stage, however the demand for skilled manpower is huge and to cover this gap, it is very pertinent to re-engineer the skill ecosystem.

As India paves its path to be a Global Economic Powerhouse, it is imperative to equip its working population with employability skills. Today, India is one of the youngest country in the world with more than 62% of the population in the working age group (15-59 years) and more than 54% of the total population below 25 years of age.

Skill based learning focuses on increasing employability through series of inputs to:

• Equip students with appropriate hands-on skills which helps them to be job- ready.
• Core focus on job role based skills leads to comprehensive specialisation, thereby increasing efficacy of the candidate.

Skill Training interventions raises confidence, improves productivity & competency of an individual through focussed outcome based learning.

In 2014, Skill Development started getting booster from the Govt. under the visionary leadership of our Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri. Narendra Modi-he encouraged Skill India Mission and also formed Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Skill (MSDE) to coordinate all skill development activities, capacity & technical/ vocational training framework building, assessments framework. The Ministry is dedicated to skill 400 million workforce by 2022.

MSDE has launched Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) which is the flagship outcome- based skill training scheme, the objective of this skill certification and reward scheme is to enable & mobilise a large no. of Indian youths to take up outcome based skill training & become employable and earn their livelihood.

National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) is a central nodal agency under MSDE responsible to build strong skill training capability through funding training partners.

NSDC has been working to define and align all the training nationally under National Skill Qualification Pack (NSQF) as defined in the National Skill Development Policy which aims at bringing standardised ecosystem well- recognised by the industry across the Globe.

India is poised to standout as one of the Skilled nations in coming years and it’s time for Higher Education & Skill Training to exists in same space with seamless Integration as part of curriculum. To enable this, it is very important for the Industry and Academia to work together to generate focussed hands- on candidates with right blend of learning and employability traits.

Why are skills important in life?

The importance of  life skills. In a constantly changing environment, having  life skills is an  essential part of being able to meet the challenges of everyday  life. ... To cope with the increasing pace and change of modern  life, students need new  life skills such as the ability to deal with stress and frustration.

The importance of life skills

In a constantly changing environment, having life skills is an essential part of being able to meet the challenges of everyday life. The dramatic changes in global economies over the past five years have been matched with the transformation in technology and these are all impacting on education, the workplace and our home life. To cope with the increasing pace and change of modern life, students need new life skills such as the ability to deal with stress and frustration. Today’s students will have many new jobs over the course of their lives, with associated pressures and the need for flexibility. 

Benefits for the individual

In everyday life, the development of life skills helps students to: 

•  Find new ways of thinking and problem solving
•  Recognise the impact of their actions and teaches them to take responsibility for what they do rather than blame others
•  Build confidence both in spoken skills and for group collaboration and cooperation
•  Analyse options, make decisions and understand why they make certain choices outside the classroom
•  Develop a greater sense of self-awareness and appreciation for others

Benefits for employment

While students work hard to get good grades, many still struggle to gain employment. According to research by the CBI (Confederation of British Industry) in 2011 employers were looking not just for academic success but key employability skills including:

•  The ability to self-manage, solve problems and understand the business environment
•  Working well as part of a team
•  Time and people management
•  Agility and adaptability to different roles and flexible working environments
•  The potential to lead by influence

Benefits for society

The more we develop life skills individually, the more these affect and benefit the world in which we live: 

•  Recognising cultural awareness and citizenship makes international cooperation easier
•  Respecting diversity allows creativity and imagination to flourish developing a more tolerant society
•  Developing negotiation skills, the ability to network and empathise can help to build resolutions rather than resentments

Why skills development is important?

In today's age of globalisation and technological volatility,  skill building is an important instrument to increase the efficacy and quality of labour for improved productivity and economic growth. ...  Skill building is a powerful tool to empower individuals and improve their social acceptance.

As India targets to becoming a global economic powerhouse, it needs to equip its workforce with employable skills and knowledge to make India a developed economy. India is today one of the youngest nations in the world with more than 62% of the population in the working age group (15-59 years), and more than 54% of the total population below 25 years of age. In fact, in next 20 years, the labor force in the industrialised world is expected to decline by 4%, while in India it will increase by 32%. However, current statistics shows that only 2% of the total employees in India have completed skills development training. 

In today's age of globalisation and technological volatility, skill building is an important instrument to increase the efficacy and quality of labour for improved productivity and economic growth.

Skills and knowledge development are the driving forces behind the financial growth and community development of any country. Skill building is a powerful tool to empower individuals and improve their social acceptance. It must be complemented by economic growth and employment opportunities to meet the rising aspirations of youth.The challenge lies not only in a huge quantitative expansion of facilities for skill training, but also in raising their quality. India can then become the global sourcing hub for skilled employees.

Quoting Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi Independence Day 2014 Speech -

Today, the world and India need a skilled workforce. If we have to promote the development of our country then our mission has to be `skill development’ and `Skilled India’. Millions and Millions of Indian youth should acquire the skills which could contribute towards making India a modern country. I also want to create a pool of young people who are able to create jobs and the ones who are not capable of creating jobs and do not have the opportunities, they must be in a position to face their counterparts in any corner of the world while keeping their heads high by virtue of their hard work and their dexterity of hands and win the hearts of people around the world through their skills. We want to go for the capacity building of such young people. My brothers and sisters, having taken a resolve to enhance the skill development at a highly rapid pace, I want to accomplish this.

What are the most important skills in life?

• Public Speaking. The ability to speak clearly, persuasively, and forcefully in front of an audience – whether an audience of 1 or of thousands – is one of the most important skills anyone can develop. ...
• Writing. ...
• Self-Management. ...
• Networking. ...
• Critical Thinking. ...
• Decision-Making. ...
• Math. ...
• Research.

What is life skills education in schools?

In  school-based programmes for children and adolescents, this can be done by the teaching of  life skills in a supportive learning environment. Defining  Life Skills.  Life skills are abilities for adaptive and positive behaviour, that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday  life ...

What are life skills?

You might think of life skills as things like learning finances, doing laundry, and cooking. And they are, but life skills education goes much deeper than that.

WHO defines life skills as “the abilities for adaptive and positive behavior that enable individuals to deal effectively with demands and challenges of everyday life.”

Life skills include things like social, emotional, and thinking skills—such as self-awareness, empathy, critical thinking, decision-making, and coping with stress.

Why is life skills-based education important?

Life skills “can help people to make informed decisions, communicate effectively and develop coping and self-management skills that may help an individual to lead a healthy and productive life.”

These skills are often taught to adolescents, as they can help them successfully transition “from childhood to adulthood by healthy development of social and emotional skills.”

Life skills based education can:

1. Help in the development of social competence and problem solving skills, which in turn help adolescents to form their own identity.

3. Promote positive social norms that have an impact the adolescent’s health services, schools, and family.

4. Help adolescents to differentiate between hearing and listening, thus ensuring less development misconceptions or miscommunications regarding issues such as drugs, alcoholism, etc.

5. Delay the onset of the abuse of tobacco, alcohol, etc.

6. Promote the development of positive self-esteem and anger control.

In addition, according to WHO:

Empathy can help us to understand and accept others who may be very different form ourselves, which can improve social interactions.

Self-awareness helps us to recognize when we are stressed or feel under pressure. It is also often a prerequisite for effective communication and interpersonal skills.

Critical thinking contributes to decision making and problem solving by enabling us to explore available alternatives and various consequences of our actions or non-action.

How do I approach life skills education?

Teachers and schools may not be able to teach life skills as much as they’d like. But as a parent, there is a lot you can do to teach life skills on your own.

Here are some tips from Thriving Family on how to teach your kids decision-making skills:

—Look to the future. Ask each of your children to make a list of all the big decisions they will make over the next 10 to 15 years of their life, such as college, career, car, apartment, city, marriage and children. Discuss together the factors that constitute each big decision.

—Brainstorm together. Your child needs to choose a science project. He doesn’t know where his interests lie. On a piece of paper write the word science in a cloud, and as you discuss science topics, draw branches of ideas stemming from the cloud. As you fill in the major subjects, encourage your child to think of subtopics within those areas. Maybe the study of animals strikes a chord with him, and he remembers a longtime love of guinea pigs. Voila! He now approaches the project with enthusiasm and a sense of ownership.

—List pros and cons. Let’s say your child has to choose between playing soccer and taking ballet lessons. List the pros and cons of each option to help her reach a decision.

Here are some great group activities to help teens develop critical thinking skills:

Ask for a difficult explanation. Arrange for your group of teens to flex their critical thinking skills with a unique writing activity. You can divide a large group of teens into smaller groups of three or four and present each group with a scenario such as, “Explain an object (car, television or cellphone) to someone who has never seen one or even heard of it before.” Give the groups a predetermined amount of time to write their explanations. When time is up, have each group read their descriptions aloud to see if the other group(s) can guess what object they are describing. You can also use this activity to have each team describe a place, such as a vacation destination, or a person, such as a famous inventor or film star.

What are the core life skills?

There are many such  skills, but  core life skills include the ability to: The Ten  core Life Skills as laid down by WHO are: Self-awareness. Empathy. Critical thinking. Creative thinking.

The Ten Core Life Skills as laid down by WHO are:

1. Self-awareness
2. Empathy
3. Critical thinking
4. Creative thinking
5. Decision making
6. Problem Solving
7. Effective communication
8. Interpersonal relationship
9. Coping with stress
10. Coping with emotion

* Self-awareness includes recognition of ‘self’, our character, our strengths and weaknesses, desires and dislikes. Developing self-awareness can help us to recognize when we are stressed or feel under pressure. It is often a prerequisite to effective communication and interpersonal relations, as well as for developing empathy with others.

* Empathy – To have a successful relationship with our loved ones and society at large, we need to understand and care about other peoples’ needs, desires and feelings. Empathy is the ability to imagine what life is like for another person. Without empathy, our communication with others will amount to one-way traffic. Worst, we will be acting and behaving according to our self-interest and are bound to run into problems. No man is an island, no woman either! We grow up in relationships with many people – parents, brothers and sisters, cousins, uncles and aunts, classmates, friends and neighbours.

When we understand ourselves as well as others, we are better prepared to communicate our needs and desires. We will be more equipped to say what we want people to know, present our thoughts and ideas and tackle delicate issues without offending other people. At the same time, we will be able to elicit support from others, and win their understanding.

Empathy can help us to accept others, who may be very different from ourselves. This can improve social interactions, especially, in situations of ethnic or cultural diversity.

Empathy can also help to encourage nurturing behaviour towards people in need of care and assistance, or tolerance, as is the case with AIDS sufferers, or people with mental disorders, who may be stigmatized and ostracized by the very people they depend upon for support.

* Critical thinking is an ability to analyze information and experiences in an objective manner. Critical thinking can contribute to health by helping us to recognize and assess the factors that influence attitudes and behaviour, such as values, peer pressure and the media.

* Creative thinking is a novel way of seeing or doing things that is characteristic of four components – fluency (generating new ideas), flexibility (shifting perspective easily), originality (conceiving of something new), and elaboration (building on other ideas).

* Decision making helps us to deal constructively with decisions about our lives. This can have consequences for health. It can teach people how to actively make decisions about their actions in relation to healthy assessment of different options and, what effects these different decisions are likely to have.

* Problem solving helps us to deal constructively with problems in our lives. Significant problems that are left unresolved can cause mental stress and give rise to accompanying physical strain.

* Interpersonal relationship skills help us to relate in positive ways with the people we interact with. This may mean being able to make and keep friendly relationships, which can be of great importance to our mental and social well-being. It may mean keeping, good relations with family members, which are an important source of social support. It may also mean being able to end relationships constructively.

* Effective communication means that we are able to express ourselves, both verbally and non-verbally, in ways that are appropriate to our cultures and situations. This means being able to express opinions and desires, and also needs and fears. And it may mean being able to ask for advice and help in a time of need.

* Coping with stress means recognizing the sources of stress in our lives, recognizing how this affects us, and acting in ways that help us control our levels of stress, by changing our environment or lifestyle and learning how to relax.

* Coping with emotions means involving recognizing emotions within us and others, being aware of how emotions influence behaviour and being able to respond to emotions appropriately. Intense emotions like anger or sadness can have negative effects on our health if we do not respond appropriately.

What are the essential skills in life?

The seven essential life skills you'll hone in this workshop are:

• Focus and Self-Control.
• Perspective Taking.
• Communicating.
• Making Connections.
• Critical Thinking.
• Taking on Challenges.
• Self-Directed, Engaged Learning.

Like the cockroach, we humans are extraordinarily adaptable creatures. At the same time, we are creatures of habit, and our lives can easily become routinized to the point where the very idea of change becomes terrifying. This is the flip side of adaptability – we can fit ourselves into a niche so snugly that we never want to leave.

Developmental psychology – the study of neural, cognitive, and socioemotional human development – has provided us with some of our deepest insights into human plasticity, our ability to change even the physical structure of our brains to adapt to new challenges. The French psychologist Jean Piaget is generally recognized as the father of developmental psychology – and as our brains and consciousness are most flexible and rapidly developing during childhood, it’s not surprising that his research focused on children. Piaget mapped out stages of cognitive development through which the child grows from a sensory infant, to a toddler unsure of the boundaries between her imagination and the external world, to an older child able to manipulate complex abstractions like algebraic formulas.

If Piaget formalized the stages of human cognitive development, his successors have been busy mapping out the “play in the system” – the specific ways in which different minds develop differently depending on everything from dna to their parents’ personalities to their own free will. What we have now is a picture of human development built on the idea that humans are learning creatures, and that what we are depends on what we learn, from cradle to grave.

By the time it reaches the general public, this research is often distorted into hyperbolic claims like “Listening to Mozart will make your baby smarter.” Taken together, these often mutually contradictory prescriptions serve only to drive non-scientists crazy and make intelligent people cynical about developmental psychology as a whole.

Ellen Galinsky, author of Mind in the Making and president of the Families and Work Institute spent much of her career on the faculty of Bank Street College – a progressive school of education and educational laboratory where cutting-edge research from developmental psychology is turned into educational practice. In her view, the most important findings of developmental psychology add up to a consistent, substantial picture of the 7 essential skills humans need to keep learning and growing throughout the lifespan.

We tend, erroneously, to think of learning as preparation for doing. For this reason our education system is built around the idea that you finish your education, then you start your career. But the key lesson from developmental psychology is that the tangible markers of what we think of as “success” – emotional well-being, professional reputation, and so on – are simply the byproducts of a life spent learning.

In a fast-changing world, only our higher-order thinking skills can keep us aware, engaged, and growing. In The Seven Essential Life Skills, her workshop for Big Think Mentor, Mind in the Making author Ellen Galinsky teaches lessons learned over decades of psychological research into how humans learn throughout the lifespan. The seven essential skills she teaches here, and demonstrates with stunning video footage of classic psychological experiments, are invaluable tools for adapting to, learning from, and thriving within a world in rapid flux.

The seven essential life skills you’ll hone in this workshop are:

• Focus and Self-Control
• Perspective Taking
• Communicating
• Making Connections
• Critical Thinking
• Taking on Challenges
• Self-Directed, Engaged Learning

Life skills equip students to thrive in the classroom and in the world beyond. The 21st century  life skills are flexibility, initiative, social  skills, productivity, and leadership.