India has a huge demographic potential that offers its economy an unprecedented edge. By 2020, the country will become the youngest workforce in the world with 64 per cent of its population belonging to the working-age bracket of 15-64. However, this is possible only if youth are provided with the right kind of skills and education to enhance their employability.
To enhance their work readiness, there is a pressing need for a model that integrates secondary education, skills training and industry internships. This will enable the country to reap the demographic dividends associated with highly aspirational, job-ready youth.
Through its skills@school programme and DreamLab initiative, NGO Salaam Bombay Foundation has provided for a continuum of education, skills training and market-based internships to youngsters in the age group of 14 and 18 years. On this World Youth Skills Day, the DreamLab initiative was officially launched in the presence of dignitaries such as Ms. Tejaswini Adhikari, Chief Insights Officer at Future Ideas – Future group, Dr. Ramesh Bhat, Dean – School of Business Management, NMIMS, Mr. Vinod Kulkarni – Head CSR at Tata Motors Ltd, Mr Sandeep Sinha, Co-founder and Managing Partner, Lumis Partners, Ms. Padmini Somani – Founder & Director, Salaam Bombay Foundation and Ms. Nandina Ramchandran, CEO, Salaam Bombay Foundation.
The ‘Learn, Earn and Grow’ model focuses upon providing youngsters with real-world internships that work as experiential platforms and help them make informed career decisions. As many as 100 internships were offered at the event in job sectors like Retail, Beauty & Wellness, Bakery & Confectionary, Mobile Repair, Home Appliance Repair and Market Research. From the industry perspective, DreamLab provides need-based semi-skilled interns to meet the cyclical and seasonal peak business demands of different sectors without them having to incur additional manpower costs during the lean period.
One of the direct beneficiaries of the DreamLab venture, Deepika who was present during the event said of her experience, “DreamLab has given me the chance to create my own identity. Learning the art of baking in the industrial setting was a new experience for me. It gave me a flavour of how things work in the real world. To gain such experience at my age is not an opportunity that many get. I believe that my dream of selling chocolates under my own brand is now within my reach.”
Though slated to be one of the fastest growing global economies due to its young population, India faces a severe youth unemployment crisis. An animated panel discussion saw the issue debated by the esteemed guests, each one sharing perspectives from their respective sector.
Based on its learning and experience over the last five years of integrating skills with secondary education, Salaam Bombay Foundation also released an insightful White Paper titled Enhancement of Employability for Adolescents through a Continuum model that integrates Secondary Education, Skills Training and Internships.
Speaking about the event, Gaurav Arora, Vice President, Projects (Skills & Sports), Salaam Bombay Foundation, said,“The White Paper offers impactful insights into how India can reap the best of its demographic advantage by integrating education, skills training and industry-based internship opportunities to its young population. The DreamLab internships have provided municipal school adolescents with experiential learning platforms otherwise inaccessible to them. This partnership between NGOs, the government, private sector and training institutes can together create pathways to progress.”
