Summary
“When a student learns a subject within the 4 walls of the classroom, I do not think that he or she becomes capable of serving any kind of workforce in that regard”
“I strongly feel that in the modern world, the needs of the people keep on changing, and based on those needs so does their outlook towards acceptance"
Education is important in this 21st century, but skill sets to excel in the corporate space are most crucial. Teaching high school students competence-based education from an early age is important because it has a positive impact on their lives and is also time saving. The Telegraph Online Edugraph recently got into a candid conversation with Dr G.P. Saradhi Varma, Vice-Chancellor of K.L University to know more about the importance of skill-based learning.
“As an academician from the 35 years the students always work towards different specialisation and different categories this takes them towards the understanding of a particular subject. The university the student is enrolled in particularly always teaches them the traditional approach uplifting the gap between teachings and the corporate world. In the long run this gap particularly widens hence clearly indicating the importance of skilling. Furthermore, I also feel the skill has to be global as today the market is universal” added Dr Varma.
Hard skills are often contrasted with soft skills. Soft skills are always considered to be the abilities that throw a light on how a person does their job and interacts with others in the corporate space. These skills are often subjective and difficult to measure.
Throwing a light on the same Dr Varma highlighted “When a student learns a subject within the 4 walls of the classroom, I do not think that he or she becomes capable of serving any kind of workforce in that regard. In the long run, a student has to connect to the societal aspects to make a difference. A student must look up to solve the problems and serve the needs of the society to excel in his or her chosen pathway. If a student is basically interested in research oriented subjects within the limited 4 walls of the classroom, it naturally would not serve any purpose in the long run.”
As the contemporary workplace continues to evolve, students with metaskills in the upcoming time period will tend to become more valuable. In the coming time period employers will only be looking out for applicants having a blend of soft and hard skills.
“I strongly feel that in the modern world, the needs of the people keep on changing, and based on those needs so does their outlook towards acceptance. Therefore, to be well accepted by the society and to excel in one’s career field upskilling is exceptionally crucial. Speaking about it professionally, it is always on the basis of the needs of the people that the business model changes which additionally demands a skilled workforce. A student must upskill himself with the latest trends and technologies that are needed by society.” added Dr Varma
Learning new skills is a lifelong process. Additionally, success in one’s professional life also greatly depends upon learning new skills. Hence, it can be stated that adapting one’s skill set in the professional phase is bound to provide a sense of accomplishment.
“I think beginning from high school students to young adults the skill which is of utmost importance is problem solving, understanding the society and a logic to solve societal issues. Communication and presentation skills are expected from them apart from that basic aptitude, and analytical skills will also work in their favour once they step ahead to make their career” stated Dr Varma.
In the long run experience comes as a result of trying new and different things. Sticking to the same old tactics doesn't grant one new experience. Hence, to ensure students keep learning schools, colleges and teachers also need to keep in mind the importance of constant development.
Speaking about the importance of teachers in playing a crucial role in the process Dr Varma added “When we skill ourselves in a particular direction what is actually the benchmark for it? That benchmark is nothing but a strong team which takes up that activity. For that there are also certifications such as tensorflow, artificial intelligence, awss, solution outpitch, google gp cloud and so on.”
Learning and gaining new skills can serve to be extremely useful in one’s professional career. It not only helps them achieve their goals, but also provides them with the much needed confidence to increase their motivation to work and as our expert Dr Varma says once you learn to solve a problem, you have high chances to excel in your chosen career path.
Last updated on 18 Nov 2022
