Digital Skills and Credentials for Economic Growth

Dr. Nirmaljeet Singh Kalsi is the former Chairperson of the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) in India.

Accelerating economic growth in India with digital skills and credentials recognition

Dr. Nirmaljeet Singh Kalsi is the former Chairperson of the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) in India. NCVET is the overarching regulator for long- and short-term training in the skilling ecosystem of India. The organization is focused on developing a vibrant education and skilling ecosystem, to deliver results both for individual learners as well as for the economy of India. In this discussion, which took place in April 2024, Dr. Kalsi shares how NCVET have been working with industry to allow learners to be recognized for accessing courses and certifications provided by industry which develop digital and technology skills. 

The role of the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) 

Dr. Kalsi shared that the goal of NCVET is to “to facilitate the availability of highly skilled manpower, improving employability and contributing to the accelerated growth of the Indian economy”.  

NCVET serves as “an overarching national regulator with the aim of setting standards, developing comprehensive regulations, and improving vocational education, training, and skilling ecosystem. Additionally, NCVET grants recognition to and monitors the functioning of awarding bodies, assessment agencies, and skill information providers.”

He explained that “NCVET has introduced a number of disruptive policies, frameworks and guidelines which are contributing to a vibrant education and skilling ecosystem, and continues to do more. Some of the major initiatives have included: introducing a National Credit Framework; Micro Credentials; Cross Sectoral Skilling qualifications.”

The crucial role of digital skills

Dr. Kalsi emphasized that NCVET see digital and technology skills as having a “crucial role in modern industries.” Areas of focus for ensuring there is a supply of skilled professionals include “artificial intelligence, data science, cybersecurity, software development, and digital marketing.”

In addition to enhancing productivity, Dr. Kalsi explained that NCVET focuses on digital skills with the aims of “closing the digital divide, and expanding access to citizen services”.

NCVET have also been focusing on using technology to enhance the quality of both training and assessment processes. This has become a “vital tool” in allowing initiatives to be accessible to a wider audience.

Dr. Kalsi reflected that “In recent years, there has been a noticeable rise in interest regarding AI skills and credentials among learners in India. This surge reflects a growing recognition of the transformative potential of AI across various industries. Moreover, as AI continues to permeate different sectors, there’s a noticeable trend towards the development of AI-specific job roles tailored to diverse fields such as healthcare, agriculture, and more.”

He highlighted that “in today’s market, ethical use of AI skills is also gaining paramount importance. Employers are placing a significant emphasis on hiring individuals who not only possess technical proficiency in AI but also demonstrate a deep understanding of ethical considerations in AI.”

Role of partnerships across sectors

Dr. Kalsi reflected on the historical precedents for cross-sector collaboration and advocated for increased integration in relation to skilling, “Government, industry, and academic institutions have long collaborated to foster economic growth. This partnership is crucial as multinational companies seek highly skilled workers proficient in emerging technologies to stay competitive.”

“It is essential for corporates, academia, and government bodies to recognize and integrate each other’s training programs within the formal skilling ecosystem. This mutual recognition supports the development of a workforce that is knowledgeable in global best practices and technologies, benefiting students, professionals, educational institutions, and the industry at large.”

Partnering with industry to credit students for their courses and certifications

Dr. Kalsi sees the potential for Industry partners to “significantly contribute to skill development.”

“Their training materials, often available at no cost, enhance employability through globally recognized certifications.” He explained that this integration can bring benefits to individual learners through providing opportunities for “lifelong learning and career flexibility”, as well as “helping to position India as a global skill capital by creating a workforce trained in internationally recognized skills.” 

Dr. Kalsi explained that NCVET acted to formally recognize industry-offered qualifications within the skills ecosystem of India, through recognizing these credits and allowing them to be registered in a student or learner’s academic record. 

Dr. Kalsi shared “These courses which are internationally recognized and standardized are now getting associated with the formal skill ecosystem of India, thereby recognizing them for their creditization by National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) alignment and approval. The credits earned by a learner will be uniquely registered against their Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry ID and stored in their Academic Bank of Credits. This enables not just the recognition of their learning and storage as credits but also options of multidisciplinary and lifelong learning through mobility, redemption, and utilization of such credits.” 

“The NSQF aligned and approved qualifications for courses provided by industry will be offered as optional programs in the Higher Education Institutions and school education, or vocational education, training and skilling programs. Any student or learner may take these courses or qualifications in addition to the prescribed higher education program and the credits earned may be considered by the Awarding Body for award of their degree, diploma or certificate.”

Role of industry partners

Dr. Kalsi sees the opportunity for industry partners to “play a huge role in the realm of scaling up skills motion”. These partners can “bring in a wealth of expertise in many new areas such as AI, Cloud, IOT, Cybersecurity, Design; and their credentials and certifications are accepted by employers worldwide.”

Dr. Kalsi shared the example of recent partnership with Microsoft. “The recent recognition of Microsoft certifications helps students across institutions, schools, higher education, vocational and youth to embrace these courses and certifications and get credits which could contribute to their credits. This also helps them to be job ready and acceptance of their competencies for employability.”

“In the case of Microsoft recognition of 25 certification areas were mapped with NSQF levels and more are being mapped further. Alignment with NSQF norms, and also acceptance of these certifications by various employers across industry verticals, brings a huge opportunity for students across Higher Education, vocational and skills programs to be future ready and be employable.”

In addition, “access to MS Learn and through it access to more than 4,700+ modules, sandbox environments for learning key applications on AI, Cloud and other areas offers great opportunity from a market leader.”

Measuring success

Dr. Kalsi shared that “we are receiving very positive feedback from the students as well as the existing workforce” on the national scale qualification framework aligned with approved courses offered by multinational and Indian companies.  

Some of the advantages of industry qualifications for students highlighted included: “enhanced employability and market recognition both nationally and internationally; storage of accumulated credits in the [national] DigiLocker and Academic Bank of Credits; enhanced mobility between vocational and academic streams through redemption of these credits; increased affordability and availability of training and certification; and increased value and return on skills, contributing to economic progress.” 

Recommendations for others

Dr. Kalsi shared his recommendations for others seeking to build strategic partnerships for a skill-based economy:

1. “Establish clear frameworks and guidelines: define clear objectives, standards, and outcomes for vocational education, training and skilling (VETS) that align with the needs of the skill-based economy.
2. Identify key sectors of the economy: determine the high-growth and high demand sectors in the economy that require skilled manpower. Focus on these sectors when forging partnerships to ensure that training programs are relevant and meet market needs.
3. Engage with industry stakeholders: collaborate with businesses, industry associations, and sector-specific employers to gain insights into current and future skill requirements. This engagement helps in designing courses that are aligned with industry needs.
4. Promote public-private partnerships: encourage collaborations between educational institutions and private companies to develop and deliver vocational training programs. These partnerships can facilitate practical training, internships, and apprenticeships, providing real-world experience to learners.
5. Invest in training of trainers: ensure that educators and trainers are adequately trained and equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to deliver high-quality vocational education. This can involve continuous professional development and industry exposure for trainers.
6. Leverage technology: utilize digital platforms and technologies to enhance the reach and quality of vocational training. Online learning, virtual simulations, and e-laboratories can complement traditional hands-on training methods.
7. Quality assurance and accreditation: develop a robust quality assurance and accreditation system to maintain high standards in vocational education and training programs. This system should include regular monitoring, assessment, and feedback mechanisms.
8. Encourage innovation and entrepreneurship: integrate entrepreneurial education and innovation skills into vocational training programs to foster a culture of entrepreneurship and self-employment among graduates. 
9. Create incentives: develop incentives for both learners and employers to participate in vocational education and training programs. This could include creditization, enhanced ease of operations, better recognition, improved productivity, etc.
10. Monitor and evaluate outcomes: regularly assess the effectiveness of strategic partnerships and vocational training programs in meeting the objectives of the skill-based economy. Use this data to make informed adjustments and improvements to strategies and policies.”

Learn more

Learn more about NCVET on their website: www.ncvet.gov.in.