Because of the democratic dividend it enjoys, skill development courses in higher education play a critical role in contributing to nation-building in a variety of ways. These courses provide students with hands-on, experience-based, practice-oriented learning that is critical for personal growth, competency development, and the nation's transformative development.
Dr. Supriya Pattanayak, Vice Chancellor of Centurion University of Technology and Management in Odisha, offers some advice on how skill development courses benefit both individuals and the nation.
Skill development courses make students more job-ready by providing them with industry-relevant skills. This reduces the unemployment rate and helps individuals secure stable and better-paying jobs, ultimately boosting the nation's economic growth. It encourages innovation and entrepreneurship. It equips students with the skills needed to start their enterprises or contribute to the growth of existing ones. Entrepreneurship leads to the creation of jobs, economic development, and a more vibrant business ecosystem.
When a country's workforce is multi-skilled, it can reduce its reliance on imported goods and services. Skilled workers can produce high-quality goods and services on a domestic scale, contributing to economic self-sufficiency and reducing trade deficits.
Civil engineering, architecture, and construction management skill development courses produce professionals who can contribute to the development of critical infrastructure such as roads, bridges, buildings, and transportation systems.
Similarly, skill development in various service sectors benefits the economy. This, in turn, improves citizens' overall quality of life.
