“I carry a knife or sickle, an earthen pot, a waist belt and a harness before I wrap my legs around the trunk of the tree and climb it,” says the toddy tapper from Penumaka village in Tadepalli mandal of Guntur district. Katikam explains alms. Andhra Pradesh.
“Even at the age of 59, he can climb fast carrying tools and utensils collecting toddy with remarkable balance, which only comes with years of experience,” says his wife, Ms Narasamma, her eyes brimming with pride. Are shining.
The couple were interacting with a team of officials and staff from AP State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) and Penumaka Grama Sachivalayam (Village Secretariat), a government-set up office that provides public services at the grassroots level.
The team members go door-to-door for household surveys as part of the Andhra Pradesh government’s ambitious plan to conduct a skills census, the first of its kind in India.
“First, I inspect the tree and the inflorescence to make sure it is healthy and ready for tapping,” Mr. Bhiksham continues, punctuating his conversation with a question posed to him by one of the Sachivalayam staff. Regardless of overlap.
“Do you want to go into some other business, or do you wish to continue what you are doing,” asked Sadupathi Jyothirmayi, welfare and education assistant at Sachivalayam.
Sachivalayam staff interacting with Katikam Bhiksham and his wife Narayanamma, locals of Penumaka village. , Photo Courtesy: GN Rao
It took Mr. Bhiksham a few minutes to organize his thoughts. Rubbing his chin he said that toddy-tapping requires extraordinary strength and stamina. “It is also a high-risk job as it sometimes involves climbing trees more than 50 feet tall,” he said, breaking eye contact. Given the option, the 59-year-old man is willing to take up agricultural work.
However, even while answering the questions promptly, Mr. Bhiksham wonders about the purpose of the interrogation.
APSSDC has almost completed the pilot census conducted in five mandals of Mangalagiri assembly constituency, Tadepalli, Duggirala, Mangalagiri Urban, Mangalagiri Rural and Thulluru.
“This initiative will help bridge the gap between talent and opportunity while better aligning with the demands of the modern workforce”D. Nagamalleshwar RaoEngineering Student, KLEF (Deemed University)
A total of 775 enumerators drawn from APSSDC, Village and Ward Secretariat, Society for Employment Generation and Enterprise Development in Andhra Pradesh (SEEDAP), and the National Academy of Construction (NAC) surveyed 1,12,251 households classified into 2,029 clusters of 100. Sachivalayam reaching 2,77,207 inhabitants.
a new Hope
Pathan Shamila, a 34-year-old housewife, once worked as a computer operator in a surgical shop in Vijayawada. The native of Bheemadole in Eluru district is a B.Com (Computer Applications) graduate who lives in Penumaka. The visit of officials to the village rekindled her hope of finding a job and using her skills to help her husband’s income.
At Kothuru center in Tadepalli mandal, the enumerators approached a group of villagers, most of them illiterate with a mix of curiosity, confusion and apprehension visible on their faces.
Soon, others gathered cautiously to see what was happening. Whispers spread as people speculated about the purpose of the officials’ visit. “Is this a government assistance program?” local resident Ms Venkayamma asked excitedly. However, questions about skills, education and professional experiences left them puzzled and some became hesitant to answer, as they were unsure of how their answers would be interpreted.
When asked, Ms. Venkayamma laughed nervously, and dismissed her skills as unimportant. The purpose of the survey needed to be patiently explained to the people in the villages so that they could talk openly. Some of them came forward to describe their expertise in weaving, farming or animal husbandry. Staff recorded details carefully, asking questions about traditional crafts, farming methods, educational and technical skills and future training aspirations. They received inputs from all demographic groups including women, youth and elderly in the age group of 15-59 years to create a comprehensive profile of their skill potential.
“Apart from the challenge of migrant persons, whose names are officially registered here but have moved elsewhere, many residents are concerned about sharing the one-time password (OTP) received on their phones to clear the survey. There is doubt. Some others say they are not willing to participate in the survey for various reasons,” says Mr Venkat Srikanth, digital assistant, Penumaka Sachivalayam.
Some surveyors involved in the enumeration process say that the skills of Sachivalayam staff to participate in government priorities and surveys other than the census is another shortcoming.
skill gap study
The objective of this sample assessment and data collection exercise is to understand the skills and competencies of the local population and the skills in demand to improve the economy of the state. In other words, it is a skill gap study, which will be replicated at the state level temporarily from the first week of January 2025.
The Periodic Labor Force Survey (PLFS) conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation (2022-23) says Andhra Pradesh has the highest unemployment rate in India at 24% among graduates aged 15 and above. The skills census exercise aims to address this issue.
According to key information obtained by those at the helm of the census project, which is only indicative in nature, the labor force participation rate is lowest among those with upper secondary education, while the unemployment rate in the 15-29 year age group is 15.7% . Compared to the national average of 10%, this shows that Andhra Pradesh needs to make its youth more skilled to reduce the unemployment rate.
With regard to gender based labor population ratio among the 15-29 years age group in the state, it has been found that fewer young women are participating in the workforce, and more programs can be designed for their upliftment. As far as wages among salaried employees (15 to 29 years age group) are concerned, the state is performing above the national average, but there is scope for improvement.
uncovering talent
“Our youth are skilled not only in the emerging areas of cyber security and cloud technology but also in the manufacturing and construction sectors. Unfortunately, his talent is captured in his resume. They need a platform to prove their worth,” says A Srinath, dean of the skill development and student progress wing at KLEF Deemed University.
Srinath believes that the skills census should not be prolonged, and should be completed in the next six months “because we have the 2024 graduate batch readily available with high potential and equipped with skill sets.”
“Through this particular project, the government is trying to identify what skills people have in different jobs and sectors, finding the gap between what skills people have and what employers need”G Ganesh KumarManaging Director & CEO, APSSDC
People, especially the youth, see the skills census as a boon.
“This initiative will help bridge the gap between talent and opportunity while better aligning with the demands of the modern workforce,” says D. Nagamalleswara Rao, a final year mechanical engineering student at KLEF Deemed University.
The APSSDC office at Tadepalli is buzzing with activity where a constant hum of energy and purpose fills the place. Managing Director and CEO, APSSDC, G. Ganesh Kumar, has been engaged in back-to-back meetings and is working closely with various agencies and NGOs to ensure the success of the skill census.
A large conference room has been converted into a technical command center staffed by representatives from KPMG International Limited, APSSDC’s knowledge partner. Long tables are laid out with high-powered laptops and monitors and tangled cables stretch throughout the room. Some techies are immersed in typing code, while others are scanning spreadsheets filled with survey questions and demographic data.
“Through this special project, the government is trying to identify what skills people have in different jobs and sectors, what skills people need and what employers need,” says Mr Ganesh Kumar. This will benefit both the government and the public. He says this will equip the government with useful data to create better training and job-oriented programs and help people choose careers, find suitable training and improve job prospects.
“Employment generation in the state is the need of the hour and this project will help the government achieve it. Selected state-run and private institutions should be involved in the process of identifying skill gaps, building competency levels among students and promoting internships, which can later lead to their job placement,” said VR Siddhartha, Pro-Vice -says Chancellor AV Ratna Prasad. Engineering College, Deemed University.
Students are happy that the skill census will guide them in focusing on skills in line with the demands of the industry. “Since academic qualifications alone are no longer enough to get a job, we need to target specific skills that make us more competitive and employable in the job market,” says Pranuthi Polipogu, a final year (ECE) student at VR Siddhartha Engineering College. Will make you eligible.”
His friend Tribhuvan Sri Sappa, who is pursuing computer science engineering at the same institute, sees the initiative as a transformative step towards addressing critical challenges such as employability and skills gap. “It will give direction and confidence to young job seekers like me,” she says.
“The outcome of the census will be a powerful tool that will help the government systematically classify and organize the skills that people possess, like a well-organized library of the state’s workforce capabilities, providing clarity on what skills a person has and where. Will provide photo. There may be gaps”Of. RaghuExecutive Director, APSSDC
huge task
Preparing for the state-wide survey, which will require careful planning and implementation to ensure accuracy and reliability, officials at the helm of the project are making rapid and elaborate arrangements, including several large-scale workshops and training sessions. Rounds included. Village, Mandal, District and State level.
Armed with reliable information, officials are moving forward on the project. The state’s population is said to be experiencing a demographic dividend, and if their numbers are any indication this is expected to last until 2040. Now about 3 lakh people are entering the labor force every year, compared to 2.3 lakh in the last decade. Although the state’s economy is expected to grow, more than 1 lakh youth in the 15-16 age group drop out of mainstream education every year, which is a matter of grave concern. The information also shows that 33% of youth in the state need skills by 2021-22.
The census will cover 3.5 crore working age people (15-59 years) in 1.8 crore households in Andhra Pradesh. The project consists of two major elements: a household census and an industry census. There are 33 lakh micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the state apart from other major industries, and all of them will be covered.
skill id
To overcome the language barrier, enumerators will conduct the survey in a bilingual format. After enumeration, participants will receive a skill ID derived from their Aadhaar number, which will give them access to skill profile, assessment and lifelong skill opportunities in virtual and physical modes. About 50,000 enumerators and 8,000 supervisors will be trained to complete this project.
“The outcome of the census will be a powerful tool that will help the government systematically classify and organize the skills that people possess, like a well-organized library of the state’s workforce capabilities, providing clarity on what skills a person has and where. Will provide photo. There may be shortcomings,” said APSSDC executive director K. Raghu says.
published – December 13, 2024 12:48 am IST
