Search results

Purpose. This chapter discusses the challenges and different strategies to increase skill development for the future workforce.

Methodology. Multiple sources on the topic were studied and reviewed in this chapter. The idea of skill and its development is discussed in the literature review.

Findings. Different nations’ governments have promoted human capital development by providing up-skilling and retraining programs to balance supply and demand. Skills gaps need to be brought to the attention of stakeholders, such as governments, businesses, and the educational system. Teachers, employers, and other stakeholders need to develop strategies and action plans to ensure that the skills gaps are appropriately identified and adequately addressed. These initiatives must be developed with input from various stakeholders.

Practical Implications. The research results would inform the curriculum, incorporating skill development processes tailored to various scenarios. These findings would aid business organisations in crafting skill development programs that address identified skill gaps. Challenges in skill development would be taken into account during course development, and relevant teaching–learning materials would be created. Key stakeholders, such as accrediting organisations, employers, and students, should exert more influence on academic institutions to prioritise societal demands for economic development.

Originality/Value. The uniqueness and significance of this chapter lie in its concise summary of the strategies to tackle the hurdles in skill development.

This paper provides more insight into the assumption of human capital theory that the productivity of job-related training is driven by the improvement of workers’ skills. We analyze the extent to which training and informal learning on the job are related to employee skill development and consider the heterogeneity of this relationship with respect to workers’ skill mismatch at job entry. Using data from the 2014 European Skills and Jobs Survey, we find – as assumed by human capital theory – that employees who participated in training or informal learning show greater improvement of their skills than those who did not. The contribution of informal learning to employee skill development appears to be larger than that of training participation. Nevertheless, both forms of learning are shown to be complementary. This complementarity between training and informal learning is related to a significant additional improvement of workers’ skills. The skill development of workers who were initially underskilled for their job seems to benefit the most from both training and informal learning, whereas the skill development of those who were initially overskilled benefits the least. Work-related learning investments in the latter group seem to be more functional in offsetting skill depreciation than in fostering skill accumulation.

We investigate the relationship between job complexity and skill development of adult workers in Europe using the Cedefop European Skills and Jobs Survey. ¹ The results suggest that challenging workplaces in which jobs are designed to include complex tasks that place high demands on workers’ skills also stimulate skill development. Increasing the degree of job complexity has positive and robust effects on the degree of skill development. Skill development is also positively linked to job tenure. The analysis stresses the importance of on-the-job learning and contextual workplace characteristics for adult workers’ skill development.

Introduction: Skill development is crucial in developing economies by enhancing productivity and creating employment opportunities. At the macro level, it also leads to industrial development and economic growth.

Purpose: The research is to identify the types of skills required for increasing the probability of employability of labour. It also aims to define the challenges and opportunities in skill development to drive change.

Need of the Study: Studying opportunities and challenges for skill development in developing economies is essential for achieving sustainable economic growth, reducing poverty, increasing employment opportunities, and promoting global competitiveness.

Research Methodology: Some skills are recognised through research that has been published to determine the skill set needed to increase labour productivity. To draw lessons, some skill development initiatives by various companies are also identified and presented in case studies. Additionally, several government programs are available to assess the possibilities and prospects for skill development in the Indian market.

Practical Implications: The research will be valuable in micro and macro decision making. At the micro level, research is advantageous for a business person to initiate the skill development of its employees by using government schemes. Nations other than India can understand the policy framework for skill development.

Findings: The term ‘skilling’ has become fashionable. Due to the need for skill-based earnings data, only some studies examine the return on skill (ROS) of the labour market. Skill development plays a significant role in bringing change at the micro and macro levels. Hence it is necessary to exploit all opportunities for skill development.

Purpose: This chapter explores the two major schemes applicable to skill development in India: Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY).

Need for the Study: The primary objective of this research is to check the role of these schemes in enhancing the skills of socio-economically stressed community members for their livelihoods. The secondary aim is to analyse the outcomes of these schemes through a qualitative inquiry.

Methodology: A survey was conducted, and the data was collected from trainees of the skill development programmes. Based on the responses, a qualitative content analysis was performed, which showed that most trainees have the thirst and urge to enhance their life skills for a minimalistic livelihood.

Findings: The study concluded that though there are many schemes, only PMKVY is active. They focus on more than just youth communities. Instead, they consider individuals in different age categories.

Practical Implications: The Government of India (GOI) is progressing towards a healthy economy to compete with other countries. For this mission to be achieved, skill and labour development is paramount. Appropriate training must be provided and administrated through government schemes.

The pandemic has affected people across the world. Businesses have been impacted and in a way have affected the employment scenario worldwide. The skill development initiative is playing a major role in bringing back the affected to the mainstream. Skill development efforts have always been a true solution to income generation especially in context to developing the underprivileged segment of the nations. Numerous countries are enabling skill development through the corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices. India is one such country which has undertaken lot of effort in enabling Skill Development by encouraging impact-based CSR practices. It would be interesting to understand the impact of pandemic on work and how the skillsets are expected to change with the change in the working environment. The chapter mainly focusses in identifying the workplace changes with special reference to Education, Information technology, Retail, Mining and Power Generation sectors in the Indian context. It has also attempted to share the existing skill gap in fulfiling the organisation's expectations and the strategies addressing the skill gap. The chapter also shares best practices in skill development and focusses mainly on understanding the impact of such efforts. The chapter uses case study as a methodology and includes qualitative data analysis of impact interviews. The chapter uniquely attempts to share the policy, programmes, outcomes and major road blocks especially in context to skill development in the Indian scenario and how CSR drive has been instrumental in addressing the skill gap in India.

Purpose: Preserving a country’s culture is crucial for its sustainability. Handicraft is a key draw for tourism destinations; it protects any civilisation’s indigenous knowledge and culture by managing the historical, economic, and ecological ecosystems and perfectly aligns with sustainable development. It has a significant role in creating employment, especially in rural regions and is an essential contributor to the export economy, mainly in developing nations. The study focuses on the skills required and existing gaps in the handicraft industry, its development and prospects by considering women and their role in preserving and embodying the traditional art of making handicrafts.

Approach: A framework has been developed for mapping and analysing the skills required in the handicraft sector using econometric modelling; an enormous number of skills have been crowdsourced from the respondents, and machine learning techniques have been used.

Findings: The findings of the study revealed that employment in this area is dependent not only on general or specialised skills but also on complex matrix skills ranging from punctuality to working in unclean and unsafe environments, along with a set of personal qualities, such as taking initiatives and specific skills, for example polishing and colour coding.

Implications: The skills mapping technique utilised in this study is applicable globally, particularly for women indulged in casual work in developing nations’ handicrafts industry. The sustainable development goals, tourism, and handicrafts are all interconnected. The research includes understanding skills mapping, which provides insights into efficient job matching by incorporating preferences and studying the demand side of casual working by women in the handicraft sector from a skills perspective.

Purpose: In recent times, ‘artificial intelligence (AI)’ has been pervasive even in organisations or at home. AI is defined as programming computers or other technological devices to act, react, respond, or assist the same way humans do. AI has undeniably made people’s lives easier. In organisations, the impact of AI is even more visible. The main aim of this chapter is to examine the significant role of future work skill’s (FWS) each component in the field of on-growing automation. The focus will be especially on emotional and social intelligence (ESI) (a key component of FWS) while adopting AI.

Need of the Study: In terms of human resource management (HRM), AI is useful for people management, payroll services, staff monitoring and improving the recruiting network, among other things. Even managers put their organisation’s job openings on the web and get applicant resumes electronically. People and employees in the organisation have become more advanced and innovative due to AI. A device obtains employee attendance, and human resource (HR) can track their employees and their organisation’s workforce data. HR has now been awarded more authority to manage and fix their employee’s problems because of AI. In a rapidly changing world, AI is affecting all aspects. AI is yearning to automate all of the jobs.

Methodology: Now a question arises how we can stay relevant in AI economic development? As humans, we learned that every issue is a problem of optimisation because we simply require human skills to develop, create and innovate new things. Therefore, researchers recognised that adopting sustainable growth skills encourages people to continue learning throughout their lives. Moreover, AI has enabled machines the ability to learn over time. Still, they will never be able to develop new ideas like human intelligence. A machine can use only one fixed data algorithm. Now humans have made significant progress in various fields with the help of FWS; without integrated computer sciences, brain science would not make such an outstanding achievement. On the other hand, human minds are masters of their intelligence, such as creativity, complex problem-solving, cognitive thinking, ESI and communication. Breakthrough human mind are masters of algorithms represented people have to understand new trends of technology around us, and the best way to move forward is to be aware, adapt and update skills.

Practical Implications: However, AI is required because, regardless of technological advancements, AI is leading Industry 4.0. The industry’s transformation is in 4.0, and hopefully, 5.0 will jump on board soon. Undoubtedly, AI should streamline the process and eliminate redundancy or administrative tasks.

Finding: AI can be more effective in organisations if they incorporate other FWS, particularly the soft human ESI skills, whereas AI is present everywhere, we can still not neglect FWS, especially ESI. So, this chapter highlights the important role of soft skills, that is, ESI and FWS, while adapting AI for an effective HRM.

Many factors may influence the training and development of middle-skill, low-skill, and disadvantaged workers. Within the United States and worldwide there are many middle-skilled, low-skilled, and disadvantaged workers whom training and development professionals must consider as organizations seek to expand their workforce and increase productivity using technology. Temporary agencies employ many middle-skilled, low-skilled, and disadvantaged workers; however, there is very little information regarding how effective these agencies are in developing these workers beyond the skill level with which they enter the agency.

This study presents an innovative approach to Information and communication technology (ICT) skill training and employment generation for out-of-school and disadvantaged youths in Africa. With technical and policy assistance from the World Bank, ICTs can be used to revitalize technical and vocational training to meet skill and employment needs of disadvantaged youths in the region. The deplorable conditions of out-of-school youth and the state of secondary education in Africa underscore the urgency to engage disadvantaged youth in productive economic activities. An ICT-enhanced technical and vocational training program in Africa provides both private and social gains: it provides economic prospects for disadvantaged youth and; it adds to the development of the knowledge economy in Africa. The NairoBits Digital Design School in Kenya is presented as a model of a vocational and training school that uses ICTs to improve skill formation among disadvantaged youths in informal settlements in urban Africa. Meeting the objectives of an ICT-based training and employment generation program for underprivileged youth in Africa require strong regulatory frameworks and contributions from the World Bank. The involvement of the bank, particularly through private sector grants for ICT skill train in Africa will help to revitalize technical and vocational education and training in the region. Above all, the collaboration of government agencies, private businesses, other international development agencies and civil society groups in ICT skill training will help to meaningfully engage African youths in the development of their communities in the emerging knowledge economy.