Skillful = Successful

In most parts of India and for most of the students, a professional degree like engineering or medical is considered to be the key to long-term career success.

While this is one possible determinant of career success, it is by no means the only determinant. Given that the success rate in these entrance examinations is around 5-6%, it is important for students to be clear about their interest for such degrees and then put the requisite hard work.

What about the non-Science students, and the remaining 95% of the science students? What about the engineering students who do not find an engineering job (about 80% remain jobless)? What about those who do not learn enough to be employable (less than 10% are employable in decent engineering roles).

One of the reasons for such a large unemployment and unemployability in the country is the lack of skills in our graduates. The degrees have been diluted significantly, education quality has deteriorated drastically, and there is a huge scarcity of capable teachers. All of this has created an army of degree holders who have no skills. This is a huge social and economic problem.

It is extremely important for high school and college students to focus on acquiring skills rather than pursuing only degrees. Such skill acquisitions can start as early as Grade 9, and should definitely be in place by Grade 11. These do not need to be complex skills, these can be simple ones as well. Important thing is to collect many skills, become good at them, and keep building a skill portfolio. Here are a few examples of skills that Grade 11 students (or before) can focus on:

• Digital skills: Build web sites, Create impactful presentations, Create code to solve problems, etc.
• Physical skills: Sculpting, Baking, Toy-making, etc.
• Service skills: Elderly care, Nursing, Teaching, etc.
• Productivity skills: Planning and organising, Decision-making, Problem-solving, etc.
• Communication skills: Writing, Public speaking, Podcasting, Blogging, etc.

As AI takes root in every aspect of work, degrees will count less and less. A well thought out portfolio of skills (including hands-on experiences) will be the key determinant of career success.

The time to start the journey of skill acquisition is now!