National Employability through Apprenticeship Programme (NETAP)

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According to the study by the National Employability Through Apprenticeship Program (NETAP), India’s apprenticeship ecosystem is currently witnessing a positive momentum.

National Employability Through Apprenticeship Programme

• It is India’s fastest growing blended apprenticeship training program.
• Set up in 2014 as a 100% employer-funded Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
• The program was launched by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and TeamLease Skills University (Gujarat),  India’s first vocational skills university.
• It is in accordance with the National Employability Enhancement Mission of the AICTE.
• Aim:  To help organizations develop a qualified, robust and sustainable workforce and a productive human supply chain.
  • It is output-driven and helps employers to design training programs relevant to their organization and industry to create the right talent.

Key Findings of the Apprenticeship Outlook Report

• 41% of the employers in India are keen on hiring apprentices.
• 58% of enterprises want to increase the quantum of their apprenticeship hiring this year.
• Out of the 18 sectors reviewed more than 16 were keen on hiring apprentices.
• The manufacturing (55%), automobiles and ancillaries (51%) and retail (48%) are the leaders, sectors like travel and hospitality and beauty and wellness, the spaces severely hit by the pandemic.
• Overall the preference for women apprentices has increased by 10% y-o-y and this trend was more visible in Bengaluru, Mumbai and Kolkata.

Need and Importance of Apprenticeship

• India’s workforce is among the world’s least skilled — only 3.5% of India’s workforce has skills of any sort, while the comparable number for China is 47%, Germany 74%, Japan 80% and South Korea a stupendous 96%.
• Statistics show that approximately 3% of children dropout after grade 5th and 8th in the country owing to socio-economic challenges.
• Apprenticeship Training is considered to be one of the most efficient ways to develop skilled manpower for the country. It provides for an industry led, practice oriented, effective and efficient mode of formal training.

Indian Initiatives to Promote Apprenticeships

• Apprenticeship Act 1961: It was enacted with the objective of regulating the programme of training of apprentices in the industry by utilising the facilities available therein for imparting on-the-job training.
• National Apprentice Promotion Scheme: It consists of basic training and on-the job training/practical training at the workplace in the industry.
• National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS):  It is one of the flagship programmes of Government of India (under MHRD) for Skilling Indian Youth.
• It is a one year programme equipping technically qualified youth with practical knowledge and skills required in their field of work.
• Scheme for Higher Education Youth in Apprenticeship and Skills (SHREYAS): It is a programme conceived for students in degree courses, primarily non-technical, with a view to introduce employable skills into their learning and promote apprenticeship as integral to education.
• National Employability Enhancement Mission, (NEEM): Also known as National Employability Enhancement Scheme, it is an initiative taken jointly by AICTE and Government of India. The Scheme provides for on the job training to the candidates.
• Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana: Implemented through the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) It is the outcome-based skill training scheme of MSDEs with objective to enable and mobilize a large number of Indian youth to take up outcome based skill training and become employable and earn their livelihood

Conclusion and Way Forward

• In order to provide a platform to Fresher in Job market there is launch of Apprenticeship training and increase the engagement of apprentices from present 2.3 lakh to 50 lakh cumulatively by 2020.States may create a State Apprenticeship Cell and encourage engagement of apprentices to the maximum of 10% of total strength of private establishments and State Public Sectors.
• The quality of outcomes from apprenticeship courses must be enhanced with increased transparency and robustness of the training along with certification procedures.

Source: TH