India is expected to grow at 7.3% in 2019-2020 making it the soon-to-be third largest economy in the world. It has become the hotspot for brands from across the globe to set up presence in the Indian market. But if so many international brands are coming up in India and there is growth happening in the country, why is the job scene in the country so bad? The unemployment rate in the country is still not great despite the financial growth of the country. Upon inspection, one will notice that this is due to the lack of quality job-seekers. What is being taught in the formal education system of India is often not in tandem with what recruiters are looking for.

The most glaringly obvious missing skillsets in the formal education curriculum are digital skills. With the digitised world we live in, it is extremely vital to involve such skills into the lives of students to make them more employable. Students should be able to harness different tools and gather knowledge to truly make sense of the plethora of data available in today’s world and to truly understand how the digital world functions. This list will talk of the 3 most important skills that should necessarily be part of students’ lives.

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Data Analytics

Data is in abundance in any organization these days in the form of customer data, employee data, financial data, etc. However, it is important to note that raw data is not useful unless it can be converted to information. Data Analytics is the key to solving the puzzle of excessive data. Students equipped with the skills to solve data and come up with meaningful insights and information would be seen as a great asset to any organization.

Search Engine Marketing

The solution to any question and any problem is Google these days. People in today’s world rely on search engines to get the information they are looking for. Therefore, Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is an extremely important part of a job seeker’s repertoire. Organizations often spend a lot of budget and effort to make sure that they can make the best out of search engines through SEM & SEO. In this job market, it is essential to give students at least a basic working knowledge of SEO & SEM to bridge the existing skill gap.

Social Media Analytics

Social media has become quite a buzz word in the world today. Social media platforms are constantly changing and evolving and every platform is unique. So, a one-size fits all strategy doesn’t work for social media. Therefore, it is important to have students train in the various platforms and how to make the best of all the different mediums out there. With people spending so much time on their online profiles, social media has become the best place for brands to reach their audience and understanding the different kinds of insights and utilising them is not an easy task. Social media analytics is definitely an integral missing skill in the education system of today.

The formal education system is akin to living in a bubble with very little exposure to the practical applications of the theoretical knowledge they are learning. Recruiters prefer seasoned job-seekers with work experience because of the lack of that practical knowledge. Life skills like leadership, teamwork, etc. are essential in a student’s lives not only for job applications but also in everyday life. These skills can only be acquired through practical exposure to such situations. Internships are a great way to imbibe these qualities in students. Skills like problem-solving and critical thinking form essential skill sets that are necessary for organisation’s survival and hence, an added bonus in student’s.

The way to integrate such skills into the curriculum has been made easier through digitisation of the education systems with innovations like e-learning. E-learning allows teachers to give students individual attention as well as provide small bridge courses that fill the skill-gap in the job market today. It is an extremely effective way for students to become more of an all-round performer. It is also important for teaching personnel to understand the importance of student participation and get them engaged during classes instead of being the king of the room. The role of teachers needs to change from being the head of the room to being a part of it.

India must become aware of the existing skill-gap and keep evolving the education system to adapt to the growing needs of the corporate environment. The Government has made strides in this case by establishing bodies like the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), which through its various initiatives is making slow but great progress in skill development and making students job-ready. It has to be a joint effort from the government’s initiatives, actively participating corporates and adapting education institutions to make a difference in making India change its unemployment rates.

The author is VP – Brand & Marketing, Jetking Infotrain Ltd