The Virtual Global Skill Summit (VGSS)
Recently the first Virtual Global Skill Summit (VGSS) has been organized with Indian Embassies located in ten countries.
- The meeting has been jointly organized by the Ministries of Education, External Affairs, Commerce and Industry and Skill Development. It has been organized to facilitate the skilled workforce of India to find employment abroad.
- The objective of the summit was to institutionalize a robust mechanism for exchange of information on skill requirements of other countries and skill availability in India.
- The government aims to position India as a preferred global hub for skilled workforce and make India the ‘Skill Capital’ of the world.
- This is in line with the Prime Minister’s 3T strategy, which emphasizes trade, tourism and technology.
Opportunities/Advantages for India-
- About 54% of India’s population is above 25 years of age. The gig economy has emerged.
- In addition, the demand for flexible working systems has increased, and skill development is being given more emphasis. Also, strong core skills of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) are present among Indians. The increase in the aging population across the globe will create a greater demand for skilled workforce.
Challenges before India:
- There is a lack of infrastructure for skill development,
- There is less focus on non-technical skills,
- There is a lack of awareness about the nature and requirements of industry specific employment,
- There is less focus on non-technical skills,
- There is a lack of awareness about the nature and requirements of industry specific employment,
- There exists a gap in demand and availability of higher skills etc.
Steps taken for global cooperation-
- India International Skills Center (IISC): It is a nodal platform to facilitate opportunities for Indians to join the international workforce.
- National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) has set up NSDC International. It is a subsidiary with 100% shareholding. It plays a role in conducting national and international partnerships for overseas employment through specialized programmes.
- Skill India International Project: It is aimed at skill development, certification and employability of Indians abroad.
- Partnership has been established with many countries. These include major partnerships such as Japan (Special Skilled Worker Partnership), Singapore (Trainer-Assessor Academia), UK India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI) etc.
Source – The Hindu
