With most of the professional courses, there is always a concern with how equipped the students are when they finish the full duration of the course.

The state of Education in India for the past few years has indicated an inclination of the youth towards more professional courses. With MBA degrees becoming the new education goal, most of the new generation is geared up to handle businesses of all kinds and sizes. But, is the education being provided making the students truly industry-ready?

With most of the professional courses, there is always a concern with how equipped the students are when they finish the full duration of the course. Thankfully, most contemporary educational institutes are aware of this concern and are working tirelessly to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and hands-on abilities. As is now the norm, the courses are no longer about training students for the industry, but rather in the industry. While internships have been quite common with professional courses, to make the students more equipped, many institutions have started collaborating with organizations and companies that allow students to help as paid consultants in new projects. This not only allows the students to learn on-the-go but also gives the industry a fresher lens to approach their engagements. 

Given that there are so many fields and microstructures in businesses today, many institutions are preparing students by providing mentorship and guidance from the best in the industry. Such experts provide in-depth, experiential knowledge to students, and sometimes also help in conducting courses allied to their own expertise. Many a times, companies also take students under their wings for community-based projects and more not-for-profit activities to ensure that they get a more rounded understanding of the different facts of the industry. Many such new inclusions are truly helping students become more industry-ready.

The thrust of the government in recent times has been on outcome-based-education (OBE) in institutions throughout the country. This revolutionary approach helps access students not just based on their knowledge but also on their assessment and problem-solving skills. Instead of seeing education as a theory-to-practice process, OBE approaches learning as an outside-in method where students are accredited for their ability to learn and progress with newer developments. This helps to produce skilled and resourceful professionals who can not only manage projects but also lead their own businesses. With entrepreneurial adroitness being a necessary survival skill, institutions are training students to become job-creators and not just job-seekers. 

The education system today is also mindful of the fast pace at which industries are growing. With the world becoming smaller and smaller, more avenues of vocations are constantly emerging. To keep up with this, it has become imperative for today’s generation to be persistently upskilling. Although many workspaces provide opportunities to improve their workforce in-house, the education ministry too, is currently emphasizing on varied B.Voc. (Bachelor of Vocation) courses. These courses are targeted especially to professionals who wish to have more industry-specific skills or wish to concentrate on a particular aspect of the industry.

With any industry, exposure plays a very important role in new entrants. The sooner a ‘fresher’ understands the working of the company or the industry, the better their chances of being successful in the field. Hence, along with industry experts, educational institutes today are also emphasizing on students receiving more foreign exposure or global know-how in their field of choice. The education market is booming with so many varied courses being offered at par with international courses or courses with international collaborations. Some of this is also being channelized with the newfound advantages of digital learning. Not only does that help the students stay abreast of recent developments, but it also piques their interest in the contemporary growth of the industry in different countries. This consistent engagement of the students helps make them industry-ready. They learn through engagement and practical involvement about the industry that they wish to become a part of. Not only that, students who are more involved with the growth of the industry also find it easier to sustain their careers in the long run and become an irreplaceable part of the fast-changing contemporary scenario. The reformed ideas and implementations in education are aimed at creating professionals who do not rely on the industry to create opportunities but train impeccably to themselves create opportunities within the industry.  

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