Since the beginning of its journey, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has thought of numerous initiatives for achieving women empowerment through the development of their skills. An increase in the participation of women in the active workforce can lift the face of the economy.
Why skill development is an absolute necessity for women in India?
It is quite surprising that only one-third of the population categorized under low and middle-income groups are deficient in the basic skills needed for bagging quality jobs. This leaves them unable to get their net productive potential which, in turn, constricts economic growth and investment.
Reduced participation of women: This challenge becomes even more difficult to face with the fast-changing global economy which looks for workers who are innovative, adaptive and most importantly, flexible. As per the estimates of the World Bank, over two billion adults across the country are not armed with the basic technical literacy. The scenario is more or less similar across the globe, with more than 320 million people aged under 25. Needless to say, women comprise a major share in this.
Making a way in the talent pipeline: Among the industries that conduct an estimate of the participation index of women, it was found that women from the higher strata of the society are likely to have a wider presence in the top 20% of earners. This leads to the most probable question, are the high-end companies in developing countries inclined to pay women more than aiding them to advance.
As a solution to this, it can be said that understanding the nuances of the internal pipeline and determining the various barriers as well as obstacles to growth and advancements.
The woman is a major economic contributor to the population: Though women comprise half of the total workforce of the nation, it has been estimated that women’s participation in sponsorship, career counseling, mentoring, professional development and succession planning are lacking to a great extent.
How to overcome the problem of women’s participation in the skill development process?
With such an overview in mind, it is crucial to think of some appropriate strategies to boost the skill development of women in India.
Sponsorship should be focused on advancing and prediction of power distribution. This will enable women to manage administrative roles as well.
Programs pertaining to the workplace like executive sponsorship and affinity-based leadership are also important components for women. For women, stretch assignments can be regarded as effective interventions for the development of technical skills and new perspectives.
The government, as well as the private sector companies, should aim to determine the present and future market needs. Also, assessing the talent inventory and defining the pool of internal inventory can be useful in improving the competencies of women. We can never forget their contribution in boosting the economy and other future prospects of the nation and it’s high time that we stand by them and help them develop the necessary skills and technicalities so that women in India stand apart as an exemplar to the world economy.
