Sector Expert Consultation on Employment and Skill Development

On 26th Sept 2017, the sector expert consultation on Employment and Skill Development was held at the office of the Planning Department in AP Secretariat, Velagapudi. The consultation was organized in collaboration with the AP State Planning Board. Dr. B.Gangaiah, Member Secretary, AP State Planning Board chaired the meeting. 

The consultation was attended by relevant stakeholders and was then followed by an individual meeting with Dr. Ghanta Subba Rao, Special Secretary to Govt., Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Innovation Dept., Government of Andhra Pradesh and Chairman of AP State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC). Some of the major interventions derived from the process are given below.

• Upgrading existing infrastructure and creating new assets 
• Making vocational education an imperative 
• Social mobilisation campaigns to imbue dignity to vocational training 
• Policies to spur skilling, entrepreneurship and Innovation 
• Embedding skill development in curriculum, finishing school concept - vocationalization of schools 
• Subsidies to encourage apprenticeships and on-the-job training
• Labour market reform
• Ensure sustainability of employment
• Use digital technology for small and medium scale enterprises driven by technological inputs
• Inculcate mentor network
• Foster and improve marketing channels 
• Revive small scale industry
• Impart technical and higher education and invest back in people
• Invest in higher education and development of incubators and accelerators
• Identify new opportunity areas – frontline agriculture extension agents with drone technology
• Invest in cold storage facilities and technology for improving agricultural marketing and employment opportunities 
• New technology upgradation
• Use of Non-traditional models in skilling specially for students
• Invest in knowledge acquisition
• Ensure digital mobile literacy to all especially women
• Ensure skilling is given equally to both genders 
• Knowledge and skill upgradation of existing workforce
• Formal recognition of enhanced capability of workforce
• Improve quality of training being imparted through skilling initiatives
• Promote entrepreneurial skills and encourage setting up of small scale businesses
• Ensure certification system for informally trained workforce who have hands on experience but no formal qualifications
• Improve job creation through more focus on manufacturing industry 
• Improve tourism marketing for new channels of employment in the service industry
• Focus on port development on the lines of Singapore for promoting trade and economy and therefore employment
• Invest in new and non-traditional agricultural techniques such as organic and precision farming
• Increase and improve capacity to train people through standardised training curriculum
• Use of Knowledge, Skill and Attitude framework for outreach to skilling beneficiaries
• Encourage apprenticeships at all levels

List of Participants

• Dr. B. Rangaiah, Member Secretary, AP State Planning Board
• B. Sreedhar, Regional Manager, Youth4jobs Foundation 
• Dr. Hemnath Rao, Senior Professor and Dean, DMI
• Dr. P.J. Ram, UNICEF CESS Officer, APSPB
• Sasanka Kireeti, Project Manager, Tata Trusts
• Prachi Mishra, Asst Project Manager, Youth4Jobs Foundation