One of the most used words or terms by young people is skill
training or skill development. We should know that the recent estimates suggest
that 600 million jobs would have to be created over the next 15 years to meet
youth employment needs. The total global number of unemployed youths is
estimated to reach 73 million in 2022, a slight improvement from 2021 (75
million) but still six million above the pre-pandemic level of 2019. The share
of youth not in employment, education or training (NEET) in 2020 – the latest
year for which a global estimate is available – rose to 23.3 per cent, an
increase of 1.5 percentage points from the previous year and a level not seen
in at least 15 years. The youth population will grow by more than 78 million
between 2021 and 2030. Low income countries will account for nearly half of
that increase. Education and training systems need to respond to this
challenge. An additional 8.4 million jobs for young people could be created by
2030 through the implementation of green and blue policy measures.
Challenges faced by young people are being realised by most
of the leaders for which youths become points of attraction in any election
anywhere in the world. We must remember that mere qualification may not
guarantee jobs but qualifications and skill shall certainly make us employable
or one can become self employed and become an entrepreneur using skills. To be
successful in the 21st century labour market young people must possess skills.
Though there are many skills, we can summarise it in brief as follows
(according to the World Bank):
• Cognitive skills- it encompasses the ability to understand
complex ideas, adapt effectively to the environment, learn from experience, and
reason. Foundational literacy and numeracy as well as creativity, critical
thinking, and problem-solving are cognitive skills.
• Socio-emotional skills- it describes the ability to
navigate interpersonal and social situations effectively, and include
leadership, teamwork, self-control, and grit.
• Technical skills- it refers to the acquired knowledge,
expertise, and interactions needed to perform a specific task, including the
mastery of required materials, tools, or technologies.
• Digital skills- these are cross-cutting and draw on all of
the above skills, and describe the ability to access, manage, understand, integrate,
communicate, evaluate, and create information safely and appropriately.
Apart from those mentioned above there are cognitive skills
and though there is no fixed number of cognitive skills but the main skills are
as follows:
• Foundational Literacy and Numeracy: Foundational or
fundamental literacy refers to the skills and strategies involved in reading;
speaking, writing and interpreting one's own thought and numeracy is the
ability to reason and to apply simple numerical concepts. Basic numeracy skills
consist of comprehending fundamental arithmetical operations like addition,
subtraction, multiplication, and division.
• Creativity: It is a valuable skill because it can be a
useful tool for developing new ideas, increasing efficiency and devising
solutions to complex problems. Creative people are always ahead of others.
• Logic and Reasoning: It can help one to solve problems and
generate ideas. One may use logic and reasoning skills when you identify the
needs and go through a process of brainstorming and problem-solving to meet
those needs.
• Critical thinking and Problem-Solving: It can help one to
evaluate information and conduct quick, logical thought processes. These skills
often let one analyse situations and apply good judgment. Problem-solving
skills may help us to find solutions to problems that do not have an obvious or
straightforward answer.
• Abstract Thinking: Abstract thinking can allow us to see
problems from multiple viewpoints, evaluate them objectively and find the best
solution that suits us. The ability to abstract data can allow us to process
information so we can come up with new solutions efficiently. This skill is
often important, because many jobs involve making distinctions between similar
situations or objects under different conditions.
Readers should not be confused with different words as most
are linked like when we talk about life skills and employability there are many
common examples. Another skill which is essential is SES. Well, SES or
Socio/Social and Emotional Skills, refer to the abilities to regulate one’s
thoughts, emotions and behaviour. These skills differ from cognitive abilities
such as literacy or numeracy because they mainly concern how people manage
their emotions, perceive themselves and engage with others, rather than
indicating their raw ability to process information.
Like SES, Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is the process of
developing the self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills that are
vital for school, work, and life success. It has been proved that people with
strong social-emotional skills are better able to cope with everyday challenges
and benefit academically, professionally, and socially. Similarly,
social-emotional learning (SEL) helps improve students’ academic performance,
restrain bullying, reduce dropout rates, and build positive character.
Technical skills refer to the acquired knowledge, expertise,
and interactions needed to perform a specific task, including the mastery of
required materials, tools, or technologies. One of the best institutes from
where we can learn technical skills is Indian Technical Institutes or popularly
known as ITIs. We must remember that mere academic qualification is not enough
to get placement hence acquiring skills are must to achieve success in life.
Ranjan K Baruah
(He is a career mentor and skill trainer and currently
Adviser of Skill Employment and Entrepreneurship Department of Bodoland
Territorial Council, Kokrajhar. He can be reached at bkranjan@gmail.com)
