Poverty _____________________________ Work and Employment Community

SSoolluuttiioonn EExxcchhaannggee ffoorr tthhee WWoorrkk aanndd EEmmppllooyymmeenntt CCoommmmuunniittyy CCoonnssoolliiddaatteedd RReeppllyy Query: Enhancing Access to Skills in Rural Areas Compiled by Warisha Yunus, Resource Person Issue Date: 13 December 2013 From Tiina Eskola, International Labour Organization (ILO), Bangkok, Thailand Posted 28 May 2013

Dear Members,

In recent decades, the Asia-Pacific region has experienced rapid economic growth and has shown progress in reducing rural poverty. For example, the overall rate of extreme poverty has dropped from 48 percent to 34 percent over the past decade. Despite the achievements, rural areas tend to have more unemployment, underemployment, and poverty. Economic opportunities for rural populations are hampered by scant economic investment in rural development, poor infrastructure and lack of employment and other services.

With regard to skills development, rural women and young people are often faced with challenges in accessing adequate education and training. This may be due to financial barriers (e.g. training and transportation costs) and non-financial barriers (e.g. scarce education and training infrastructure, inflexible training schedules). Training providers are concentrated in urban and semi-urban areas, and thus their outreach to rural communities is limited. The quality of the training may also be an issue: trainers may be unqualified, equipment and technology out-dated, and teaching and training methods ill-suited to rural contexts. Further, the training offered does not always match the skills needs of the labour market.

However, rural areas have high potential for productive livelihoods. Skills development is central to this; it is key to improving employability and livelihood opportunities, reducing poverty, enhancing agricultural and non-farm productivity, and promoting environmentally sustainable development in rural areas. The main challenge is equipping women and men in rural areas with appropriate skills to innovate and adopt new technologies in agriculture and to access employment in the rural non-farm economy. Integrated approaches that combine skills development with employment generation and poverty alleviation have been found to be successful in rural development efforts. The ILO regards rural employment promotion among its priorities; given current environmental concerns and the global food security and economic crises, rural economic development has been given increased weight and attention. Over the years, the ILO’s work on rural skills development has included extending training in rural communities primarily through community-based training

initiatives. One such approach is Training for Rural Economic Empowerment (TREE) that promotes local economic and employment opportunities for rural people, particularly disadvantaged groups. On the policy level, the ILO’s Human Resources Development Recommendation, 2004 (No. 195) provides guidance on the content and reform of skills policy. It specifically promotes access to education, training and lifelong learning for people in rural areas. This Skills and Employability Network discussion focuses on the issue of rural skills development with particular attention on how access to skills in rural areas can be enhanced through mobile training, distance learning and agricultural extension services. We would like to begin the discussion by inviting you to consider the following questions: • How can we extend training opportunities to reach out rural areas? (should more public

training institutions be built in rural areas? Would working with non-formal providers [e.g. rural area based community organizations, or NGOS] be a solution? How about mobile or technology solutions?)

• What kinds of skills are needed to support the development of rural communities and economy?

• What are measures to encourage women, young people and disadvantaged groups in rural areas to take up training?

• What are the key success factors for improving access to skills training in rural areas? • What are some good examples of how training services are delivering formally recognised

skills in rural areas (e.g. mobile training schemes, peer training approaches, etc.)? • What are some good examples of how distance/blended learning and mobile phone services

can deliver skills training in rural areas? • What are good examples of how agricultural extension services have been integrated with

formal skills training programs to deliver nationally recognized training to farmers and farm workers?

• How can skills training in rural areas lead to better and advanced skills for the beneficiaries? Look forward to receiving your responses. They will enrich this regional discussion immensely. Responses were received, with thanks, from 1. Priyanka Abbi, Accenture Services Private Limited, New Delhi 2. Warisha Yunus, Work and Employment Community, Solution Exchange,

International Labour Organization (ILO), New Delhi 3. Ram Bhat, Options & Solutions, Bengaluru, Karnataka 4. Priyanka Yadav, Prime Minister's Rural Development Fellow (PMRDF), Ministry of

Rural Development (MoRD), Chhattisgarh 5. Rit Chandra, University College London (UCL), London, United Kingdom 6. Balakrushna Panda, Development Professional, Bengaluru, Karnataka 7. L. D. Kala, Science Technology and Development Initiative (STAD), New Delhi

(Response 1; Response 2) 8. Meera Shenoy, National Council on Skill Development (NCSD), Office of Advisor to

the Prime Minister on Skilling, New Delhi 9. Kuldeep Sharma, Academy of Dairy Skill Development, Suruchi Consultants, Noida 10. Dinabandhu Karmakar, Professional Assistance for Development Action

(PRADAN), Kolkata, West Bengal 11. S. Balakrishnan, Vrutti Livelihoods Resource Centre, Bengaluru, Karnataka 12. Smita Premchander, Sampark, Bengaluru, Karnataka 13. Harsh Singh, Development Professional, Noida, Uttar Pradesh

14. Preeti Maheshwari, Development Professional, New Delhi 15. Suresh Gutta, Development Professional, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh 16. Sumit K. Jha, National Institute of Real Estate Management (NIREM), New Delhi 17. Mahua Roy Choudhury, State Society for Ultra Poor and Social Welfare,

Department of Social Welfare (DoSW), Government of Bihar, Patna, Bihar 18. Sanjeev Kumar, The Goat Trust, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 19. V. Prameela, Sampark, Bengaluru, Karnataka 20. Rajen Varada, Technology For The People (TFT), Kodagu District, Karnataka 21. Raj Jani, Independent Consultant, Jaipur, Rajasthan 22. Hemantha Kumar Pamarthy, Independent Consultant, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 23. Nirmallya Mandal, MART, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 24. Pooja Gianchandani, Policy & Communication Group (PCG) and Corporate

Engagement Group, IL & FS Education and Technology Services Limited (IETS), New Delhi

25. Ashok Kumar Sinha, Independent Consultant, New Delhi 26. Sridhar Kolluru, Andhra Pradesh Mahila Abhivruddhi Society (APMAS), Hyderabad,

Andhra Pradesh 27. Abdul Rahman Ilyas, IKP Centre for Advancement in Agricultural Practice

(ICAAP), Chennai, Tamil Nadu 28. Manjusha Doshi, Christian Children's Fund (CCF-India), Udaipur, Rajasthan 29. Pulkesh Pulak, Development Professional, Patna, Bihar 30. Nani Saikia, Social Action for Appropriate Transformation and Advancement in

Rural Areas (SATRA), Assam 31. Anita Sharma, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ),

New Delhi 32. Mahtab Bamji, Dangoria Charitable Trust, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh 33. Krittika Bhatt, Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages Private Limited, Western Uttar

Pradesh 34. Ashim Kumar Das, North Eastern Development Finance (NEDFi) Corporation

Limited, Guwahati, Assam 35. Jawahar R. M. P., Tiruchirapalli Regional Engineering College – Science and

Technology Entrepreneurs Park (TREC-STEP), Tamil Nadu 36. Jaspreet Singh, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Bengaluru, Karnataka 37. Niladri Sekhor Mukherjee, Micro Enterprise & Sustainable Project (MESP),

Deoghar, Jharkhand 38. J. P. Maithani, Alaknanda Ghaati Shilpi Federation (Aagaas Federation), Chamoli,

Uttarakhand 39. Nabajyoti Das, S. P. C. Management Services Private Limited, New Delhi 40. Ravishwar Sinha, Development Professional, Patna, Bihar 41. Ananya Bhattacharya, banglanatak dot com, Kolkata, West Bengal Responses were received, from Asia and the Pacific Skills and Employability Network, ILO, Bangkok with thanks, from 1. Akiko Sakamoto 2. Areeya Rojvithee (Response 1; Response 2; Response 3) 3. Dan Baffour-Awuah 4. Sharif Faisal 5. Purushothaman Pillai (Response 1; Response 2; Response 3) 6. Arnauld de Nadaillac 7. Radha 8. Paul Comyn (Response 1; Response 2; Response 3; Response 4)

9. Frank Pyke Further contributions are welcome! Summary of Responses Comparative Experiences Related Resources Responses in Full Summary of Responses Commenting on the macro level scenario, members discussed the need for the states to develop a robust architecture for skill development for serving both the urban and rural areas. The state governments should focus on creating the basic architecture which should leverage and integrate the knowledge base that already exists in various public institutions. They further noted that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) should be leveraged to ensure that all have access to quality skill development knowledge base. They also emphasized on the need to develop a workable delivery mechanism – franchise mechanism. Large number of small skill providers must be integrated into a larger system and supported. Members also noted that the focus and quality of trainings need to be improved as well as the number of supplementary social services and labor security measures need to be integrated under a ‘skill plus’ approach. On the specific questions, members had the following to share: For increasing outreach, ideal training environment would be presence of public training institutes, NGOs/CBOs and formal training providers. Further, a block level training institute - Rural Livelihood School - could be established with necessary audio video facilities to train on new techniques, technologies and skills. It could also run like an information center. Having a hub and spoke model where basic level training can be provided at the community/panchayat level and next level at the block level could also be tried. There is also a need for local PRI institutions to work in collaboration with NGOs which play a crucial role as in Karnataka. Some capable resource agencies also needed to be involved with minimum three years commitment to extend not only training but also on field handholding support. Myriad types of farm based and non-farm based skill trainings are the need of the rural people to improve their livelihood. Skills inventory at the village level would be greatly helpful to understand the skills availability and demand for it. It is high time to apply technology in agriculture sector so youth can earn while supporting the agriculture and allied sector, noted the members. Skills to repair the equipments which are being used in the agriculture sector could be one potential skills area in villages. There is also a need to train rural youth in preparing integrated natural resources management (INRM) plans as done by Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN). Non farm activities may include service sector based training as well as skills to promote entrepreneurship. Relevant training to produce locally manufactured commodity for rural/local consumption could be imparted after conducting baseline surveys to assess the need and interests of the community as done in Tamil Nadu. However, members noted that while designing skill trainings, the focus is on agriculture/manufacturing sector, despite the fact that a large number of trained teachers, nurses, counselors, mother and child care givers, trained birth attendants, auxiliary nurse and midwives, Montessori teachers, gerontologists are required to be developed in India. There is also a need to upgrade the skills of artisans and craftsmen as done in West Bengal.

To encourage women, young people and disadvantaged groups to take up training, centers must be located close to their villages. Mobile training centers also work well. There must also be - flexible timings, safe space, training modules on life skills, health and financial management, special modules on identity, self esteem, self confidence etc. Customization is key, noted the members. Orientation on opportunities, success cases, linkages and support for initial struggle period, building social capital, assured apprenticeship can encourage women and young disadvantaged people to shift to new skill based training and livelihoods. A separate group of the disadvantaged can also be formed. Providing transport facility to women also works well. Hiring trainers with a positive outlook, helping them to overcome language and technology related barriers, engaging parents, providing counseling and job linkages at the initiation of the program are other factors that help. Training must be targeted to enhance women’s current income, concluded the members. The key success factors for improving access to skills training in rural areas is the Government’s policy, budget allocation and incentives to the private sector for investing in skilling. Other key success factors are collaboration between local agencies, thrust on quality, enough practice opportunity, flexible timing, appropriate learning tools and classroom learning well supplemented with practical sessions and apprenticeship opportunity to earn and learn basic success factors, improving infrastructure facilities, promoting local entrepreneurship, standardized training courses and modules, promoting Training of Trainers (ToTs), market based and value chain based course modules. Having quality trainers that are able to envisage the employability at village level, good methodology for testing and certification, effective collaboration between diverse service delivery agents, monitoring and evaluation by third party, and capacity building at the state and district level are other important success factors. Mentioning some good examples of how training services are delivering formally recognized skills in rural areas, members shared about the mobile training institutes used by SAATH. They also shared about the usage of mobile phones for imparting a training course called Mobile Academy to expand and refresh Community Health Workers’ (CHWs) knowledge of 10 life-saving health behaviors and to enhance their communication skills, done by BBC Media Action. Members also recommended that as a follow up support to skilled workers, their cell phone may be connected to the call centre through a toll free number giving them on the job training support to resolve job related challenges. Good examples of how agricultural extension services have been integrated with formal skills training programs to deliver nationally recognized training to farmers and farm workers, members shared about the training through radio programmes by various NGOs in Bihar on System of Rice Intensification (SRI). Training programmes have also been developed for rural youth to act as a village level centre-in-charge for milk collection, milk chilling center in charge and dairy plant operators for small and medium plants. Another good example is to use the progressive farmers to lead the agriculture extension services as done in Madhya Pradesh. Skills training in rural areas can lead to better and advanced skills for the beneficiaries as NGOs/CBOs can act as a bridge between rural youth and opportunities available for them outside of their villages and by training them in relevant skills. Those willing to migrate, they must be taught skills which have demand in the urban markets. Rights awareness is extremely important. Setting up systems by which labor migration is accountable and trafficking cannot be done, is key, noted the members. It is also important to rope in the private sector both as a product champion and a catalyst and they must be given a free hand to devise curriculum, impart training through their own experts, validate and certify such trainings and run real time pilots in their own units on ‘on the

job training’ basis, noted the members. Industry may be linked to rural areas i.e. source of migration which will ensure that workers are prepared in advance for nuances of the workplace As a country, India has moved fast in setting up a target, defining a policy, strategizing implementation and making a start. Skills for rural areas will have to be linked to self employment and it is only then that large scale intervention spanning various employability and livelihood programs will be possible. The focus of rural development has to be on recognition of informal learning, engagement of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector for local jobs that allow candidates an opportunity to learn while they earn and lastly, recognize self employment as a tangible outcome of skill based trainings. Comparative Experiences Karnataka Implementing NGOs Play an Important Role in Training School Drop Out Youth in Different Employable Skills (from Balakrushna Panda, Development Professional, Bengaluru) To provide an employable skills to school drop out youth on a large scale, an NGO identified implementing NGOs that played an important role in connecting the rural youth with various government schemes and programmes. They were able to reach 60 remote backward districts in 12 States and trained around 6000 school dropout youth. It is imperative for NGOs to play the connecting role between rural youth and opportunities available outside of their villages. Madhya Pradesh Using Progressive Farmers to Lead Extension Service System is a Good Practice (from S. Balakrishnan) To overcome the problem of weak extension in agriculture, an NGO identified innovative and progressive farmers. These successful farmers are used to leading the agriculture extension service system which is working well through the implementation of social enterprise model called Agriculture Enterprise Facilitation Centre (AEFC) which is located at the block level. This kind of extension work is helping farmers in improving productivity and entrepreneurship. Multiple States Partnering with Local Institutes and Workers Helped in Meeting Infrastructure Needs and Mobilizing Trainees (From Preeti Maheshwari, Development Professional, New Delhi) For implementing a project for training of Below Poverty Line (BPL) rural youth, the agencies partnered with local institutes for infrastructure needs and used locals like Aanganwadi workers for mobilization of youth. Both approaches worked well and they we able to train more than 7000 (target) rural youth and were able to place them in various industries which are in need of trained manpower. Tamil Nadu Baseline Surveys Help in Gauging the Interests of the Target Population(from Hemantha Kumar Pamarthy, Independent Consultant, Chennai) Before executing a Corporate Social Responsibility programme, an organization surveyed the area and checked the interests of the youth and found suitable trainers for the same. The programme was able to train youth in mobile phone servicing and maintenance, motorized two wheeler servicing, refrigeration, dress making etc. These programmes were able to give livelihood options to 80-85% of the participants and a few of them took up jobs also.

West Bengal Nurturing Grassroot Creative Enterprise Centering Around Traditional Art Skills Strengthens Livelihoods of the Rural People (from Ananya Bhattacharya, banglanatak dot com, Kolkata) Many marginalized communities in India are rich in art and craft. To professionalize traditional cultural skills as livelihood skills & to prove that culture can be a driver for development, an organization gave training in art skills, facilitated exchange and exposure for making the skills marketable, built capacity for running rural cultural enterprises at grassroot. As a result, average monthly income increased in five years from $8 to $60 with 10% earning above $250. Providing Knowledge and Skills to Rural Youth in INRM Improve the Planning and Implementation of Programmes (from Dinabandhu Karmakar) Since the villagers did not have enough knowledge and skills in planning for natural resource management, an organzation organized the rural youth and trained them in integrated natural resource management to overcome the paucity of skilled workers for implementation of Government programmes. This helped the youth to bring the community together to develop their own plans for implementation and conserve their natural resources effectively. Related Resources

Recommended Organizations and Programmes From Ram Bhat, Options and Solutions, Bengaluru, India Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), Gujarat P.O. Bhat 382 428, Dist. Gandhinagar, Gujarat; Tel: 91-79-23969151; Fax: 91-79-23969164; info@ediindia.org; www.ediindia.org

Targets developing competent entrepreneurs and transition of existing SMEs into growth oriented enterprises through entrepreneurship education, training, research etc.

National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD), Uttar Pradesh A-23, Sector-62, Institutional Area, Noida 201309; Tel: 91-120-4017000; Fax: 91-120-2403062; rrsingh@niesbud.gov.in; http://niesbud.nic.in/index.htm

Apex Institute in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development area that works with the objective of promoting and developing Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.

Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA), Gujarat SEWA Reception Centre, Opp. Victoria Garden, Bhadra, Ahmedabad 380001; Tel: 91-79-25506444; Fax: 91-79-25506446; mail@sewa.org; http://www.sewa.org/About_Us.asp

Organises women workers for full employment where they are able to get work security, income security, food security and social security - health care, child care and shelter.

Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN), Delhi (from Ram Bhat, Options and Solutions, Bengaluru, India and Dinabandhu Karmakar) E-1/A, Kailash Colony, Ground Floor and Basement, Kailash Colony, New Delhi 110048; Tel: 91-11-40407700; headoffice@pradan.net; http://www.pradan.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=18

Works for poverty alleviation by promoting livelihoods with the rural poor with a focus on natural resource management, livestock, microenterprise and forest based livelihoods.

From Priyanka Yadav, Prime Minister's Rural Development Fellow (PMRDF), Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Chattisgarh Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Delhi Government of India, Krishi Bhavan, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi 110001; Tel: 91-11-23782373; Fax: 91-11-23385876; http://rural.nic.in/sites/about-the-ministry.asp; Contact Mr. R. Vineel Krishna; Principal Secretary; Tel: 91-11-23383548; vineelkrishna@gmail.com

Nodal Ministry for development activities in rural areas, it works with a vision of sustainable and inclusive growth of rural India through multipronged strategies.

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Delhi (from Priyanka Yadav, Prime Minister's Rural Development Fellow (PMRDF), Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Chattisgarh and Dinabandhu Karmakar) NREGA Division, Department of Rural Development, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi 110001; nrega-mord@nic.in; http://nrega.nic.in/netnrega/home.aspx; Contact Mr. Nilay Ranjan; Rural Development Convergence Expert; Tel: 91-9810796521; nilay.ranjan@undp.org

MGNREGS aims at enhancing the livelihood security of people in rural areas by guaranteeing hundred days of wage-employment in a financial year to a rural household.

National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT) for Women, Uttar Pradesh(from Rit Chandra, University College London (UCL), London, United Kingdom) D-1, Sector-1, Noida, District Gautam Budh Nagar 201301; Tel: 91-120-2523303; Fax: 91-120-2535266; nvti@nic.in; www.nvti.dget.nic.in/nvti

Works to promote women's employment in organized sector industries as semi-skilled, skilled and highly skilled workers by increasing their participation in skill trainings.

From Balakrushna Panda, Development Professional, Bengaluru Functional Vocational Training and Research Society (FVTRS), Karnataka No.19, 3rd Cross, Hutchins Road, St. Thomas Town Post, Bangalore 560084; Tel: 91-80-25460585; Fax: 91-80-25465928; fvtrs@dataone.in; http://www.fvtrs.org/default.htm

Works to make the target community – school dropout and illiterate youth – employable by building skills to earn a living in a trade of their choice, and become entrepreneurs.

National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), Delhi Block A, Clarion Collection, Shaheed Jeet Singh Marg, New Delhi 110016; Tel: 91-11-47451600-10; Fax: 91-11-46560417; proposals@nsdcindia.org; http://nsdcindia.org/about-us/organization-profile.aspx

A Public Private Partnership, it aims to promote skill development by catalyzing creation of large, quality, for-profit vocational institutions by providing adequate funding for it.

SAATH, Gujarat O/102 NandanvanV, Near Prerana Tirth Dehrasar, Jodhpur, Ahmedabad 380015; Tel: 91-79-26929827; mail@saath.org; http://www.saath.org/

Caters to the needs of the poor by providing one-stop centres, through which the poor have access to services including mobile training units.

National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), Uttar Pradesh A-24/25, Institutional Area, Sector - 62, District Gautam Budh Nagar, Noida 201309; http://www.nios.ac.in/about-us/vision-mission.aspx; Contact Uday N. Khaware; Secretary; Tel: 91-120-2402889; secretary@nios.ac.in

Works with a vision to provide sustainable inclusive learning with universal and flexible access to quality school education and skill development for all.

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Delhi IGNOU Road, Maidan Garhi, New Delhi, Delhi 110068; Tel: 91-11-29571000; Fax: Fax No. Email; Website; Contact Title. Name; Job Designation; Tel: Telephone No.; Email

A distance learning national university, it strives to build an inclusive knowledge society through the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode.

Delegation of the European Union to India, Delhi 65, Golf Links, New Delhi 110003; Tel: 91-11-49496565; Fax: 91-11-49496555; delegation-india@eeas.europa.eu; http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/india/eu_india/political_relations/index_en.htm

Works to deepen and broaden political ties, and is India’s first partner in terms of trade and actual investment inflows and economic and development cooperation.

From Dinabandhu Karmakar, Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN), Kolkata National Watershed Development Programme (NWDP), Delhi Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi 110001; http://agricoop.nic.in/programmescheme.html; Contact Shri. Ashish Bahuguna; Secretary; Tel: 11-23382651; secy-agri@nic.in

Works with the objective of restoring ecological balance in rainfed areas and sustainable biomass production and judicious use of water for increased agricultural production.

Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP), Delhi Ministry of Rural Development, Department of Land Resources, Room No. 604, 608 and 611, 6th Floor, Block-11, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110003; Tel: 91-11-24362569; http://iwmpmis.nic.in/index.jsp; Contact Shri. Jagdish Singh; Deputy Inspector General of Forest; Tel: 91-11-24362569; singh.jd@nic.in

Provides for treatment of micro-watersheds on cluster basis and capacity building of stakeholders, monitoring & evaluation inter alia, to enhance livelihood of asset less poor.

Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF), Delhi Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Krishi Bhawan, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi 110001; http://epanchayat.gov.in/mopr/viewPortalPage.do?cToken=null; Contact Smt. Lauretta Mary Vas; Secretary; Tel: 91-11-23074309; secy-mopr@nic.in

Designed to redress regional imbalances in development, it provides financial resources to bridge critical gaps in local infrastructure in 250 identified districts.

Directorate General of Employment and Training (DGET), Delhi Shram Shakti Bhawan, 2 & 4, Rafi Marg, New Delhi 110001; Tel: 91-11-23710446; Fax: 91-11-23351878; shardaprasad81@nic.in; http://dget.gov.in/directory/welcome.html

Coordinates vocational training programmes including women's vocational training; can facilitate linkage between technical institutions and business organizations.

From Mahua Roy Choudhury, State Society for Ultra Poor and Social Welfare, Department of Social Welfare (DoSW), Government of Bihar, Patna Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme Centrally Sponsored Scheme; Government of India, 1975 Available at: http://wcd.nic.in/icds.htm

Aims at providing services to pre-school children in an integrated manner so as to ensure proper growth and development of children in rural, tribal and slum areas.

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA), Delhi Ministry of Human Resource Development, Shastri Bhawan, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi 110001; Tel: 91-11-2316-1336; Fax: 91-11-2338-1355; http://ssa.nic.in/

Flagship programme of the Government of India for achievement of universalization of elementary education in a time bound manner.

BBC Media Action, United Kingdom Broadcasting House, Portland Place, London W1A1AA; http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaaction/contact; http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaaction/where_we_work/asia/india/india_sdp_empowering_chw_ma_mk.html

It works to provide access to information and create platforms to enable some of the poorest people in the world to take part in community organization and development.

From Raj Jani, Independent Consultant, New Delhi Banglanatak.com, West Bengal 58/114 Prince Anwar Shah Road, Kolkata 700045; Tel: 91-33-24178516; Fax: 91-33-24178518; banglanatak@gmail.com; http://www.banglanatak.com/index.aspx

Social enterprise that works for pro poor growth by synergising culture and economics in a way that preserves cultural heritage and promotes sustainable development of people.

Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), Delhi Krishi Bhawan, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi 110001 ; http://www.panchayat.gov.in/web/ministry-of-panchayati-raj/hidden/-/asset_publisher/c6nFXzynlfcc/content/d-contact-details-who-is-who-/401?redirect=http://www.panchayat.gov.in/

Responsible for looking and strengthening the process of decentralization and local governance in the States.

District Poverty Initiatives Project (DPIP), Rajasthan 3rd Floor, RFC - Block , C - Scheme, Udyog Bhawan, Jaipur; Tel: 91-141-2227011; Fax: 91-141-2227723; dpip@rediffmail.com; http://www.rgavp.org/

Works to enhance economic opportunities and empowerment of the rural poor, with a focus on women and marginalized groups, in the 17 targeted districts of Rajasthan.

Hand in Hand India, Chennai (From Hemantha Kumar Pamarthy, ) 12/26, "Coats Villa", 3rd Floor, Coats Road, T.Nagar, Chennai - 600 017, Tamilnadu Tel:+ 91 - 44 - 4341 3200; http://www.hihindia.org; abi.murali@hihindia.org

Hand in Hand is a Public Charitable Trust that works for community development through skill development trainings, inter alia.

MART, Uttar Pradesh (from Nirmallya Mandal) A - 6, 1st Floor, Sector 2, Landmark Building, Noida 201301; Tel: 91-120-4215323; http://www.martrural.com/overview.html

Works with global businesses, governments and donor agencies to help them take right directions in the emerging markets.

From Pooja Gianchandani, Policy and Communication Group (PCG) and Corporate Engagement Group, IL& FS Education and Technology Services Limited (IETS), New Delhi

HIMAYAT, Delhi Ministry of Rural Development, GoI, 6th Floor, Hotel SAMRAT, Kautilya Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021; Tel: 91-11-24122936; tvijay.kumar@nic.in; Website; Contact Mr. K. Manickaraj; State Representative; Tel: 91-9906129993; kmrias@gmail.com

Scheme to train 1,00,000 youth in five years and provide them with a job by setting up training centres in each block which will later be run by the community.

PARVAAZ, Uttar Pradesh 2nd Floor, NTBCL Building, DND Flyway, Noida Toll Bridge, Noida 201301; Contactus@parvaaz.in; http://parvaaz.in/site/page/view/about

It is a pilot program on "Comprehensive Skills and Education Program for Rural BPL Minority Youth" by empowering them with skills, education and employability.

From Ashok Kumar Sinha, Independent Consultant, New Delhi Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY), New Delhi Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi 110001; Tel: 91-11-23782373; Fax: 91-11-23385876; http://www.rural.nic.in

Anti-poverty programme that has some funds available for skill development of the rural poor, inter alia.

National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT), Delhi Directorate General of Employment & Training (DGE&T), Shram Shakti Bhawan, 2 & 4, Rafi Marg, New Delhi 110001

Approves institutes to impart vocational training and skill development programs; can play an important role in linking technical institutions and business organizations.

Bihar Mahadalit Vikas Mission (BMVM), Bihar C.M. Secretariat, 4, Desh Ratna Marg (4 K.G.), Patna; Tel: 91-612-2215083; Fax: 91-612-2215115; bmvm.hq@bmvm.org; http://www.mahadalitmission.org/BMVM-Introduction.php; Contact Mr. Rajnarayan Lal; Mission Director; Tel: 91-9431092288; directorscst@gmail.com

Identifies the groups within SCs who are underdeveloped, studies the educational and social status and recommends action for their educational and social upliftment together.

From Sridhar Kolluru, Andhra Pradesh Mahila Abhivruddhi Society (APMAS), Hyderabad Self Reliant Initiatives through Joint Action (SRIJAN), Delhi 4, Community Shopping Centre, First Floor, Anupam Apartments, Mehrauli Badarpur Road, Saidullajab, New Delhi 110068; Tel: 91-11-41664521; Fax: 91-11-41664521; delhi@srijanindia.org; http://srijanindia.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10&Itemid=26

Works to bring appropriate technology for the poor, improve access to markets & finance, conserve soil, water and build community institutions with a focus on women.

Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN), Delhi E-1/A, Kailash Colony, Ground Floor and Basement, Kailash Colony, New Delhi 110048; Tel: 91-11-29248826; Fax: 91-11-26514682; headoffice@pradan.net; http://www.pradan.net/

Promotes Self-Help Groups, develops locally suitable economic activities, mobilizes finances and introduces systems to improve sustainable livelihoods of the rural poor.

Community Development Foundation (CDF), United Kingdom

Unit 5, Angel Gate, 320-326 City Road, London EC1V 2PT; Tel: 0207-833-1772; admin@cdf.org.uk; http://www.cdf.org.uk/content/about-cdf

Works for community development by providing for resources & support where its most needed, conducts research to gather evidence to influence practice, policy & legislation.

Aga Khan Rural Support Programme, India (AKRSP-I), Gujarat 9th & 10th Floor, Corporate House, Near Dinesh Hall, Off Ashram Road, Ahmedabad 380009; Tel: 91-7966312451; Fax: Fax No.; http://www.akdn.org/india

Works for the betterment of rural communities by enhancing their livelihood and develop models for sustainable natural resource management and human resource development.

Digital Green, Delhi D6 and E6, Clarion Collection, Shaheed Jeet Singh Marg, New Delhi 110016; Tel: 91-11-41881037; Fax: 91-11-41881038; contact@digitalgreen.org; http://www.digitalgreen.org/about/;

Works with the mission to integrate innovative technology with global development efforts to improve human development and well being.

National Initiative on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA), Delhi Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Krishi Anusandhan Bhavan – II, Pusa Road, New Delhi; Tel: 91-11-25848364; Fax: Fax No. Email; Website; Contact Dr. A. K. Sikka; Deputy Director General

A project of the ICAR, it aims to enhance resilience of agriculture to climate change & climate variability through strategic research and technology demonstration.

National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP), Delhi Room No. 513, Krishi Anusandhan Bhawan – II, PUSA Campus, New Delhi - 110012; Tel: 91-11-2584 8772; Fax: 91-11-2584 3403 ndnaip@gmail.com; http://www.naip.icar.org.in/

Works for agricultural development through collaborations & application of agricultural innovations by public organizations & farmers, private sector & other stakeholders.

Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP), Delhi Department of Land Resources, Room No.-604, 6th Floor, Block-11, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi 110003; Tel: 91-11-24360946; http://iwmpmis.nic.in/index.jsp; Contact Dr. C. P. Reddy; Deputy Commissioner; drcpreddy@nic.in

Provides for treatment of micro-watersheds on cluster basis, dedicated institutions, capacity building of stakeholders, livelihood for poor people & productivity enhancement.

Social Action for Appropriate Transformation and Advancement in Rural Areas (SATRA), Assam Dhanai Bora Chowk, P.O: Sipajhar District Darrang 784145; satrasipajhar@yahoo.co.uk; http://satrango.in/about/; Contact Mr. Nani Kumar Saikia; Executive Director; Tel: 91-9435185878; satramf@rediffmail.com

Works in rural areas for socio economic development of the people, enhance capacity in terms of rights, livelihood, education, health and physically & mentally disabled people.

North Eastern Development Finance (NEDFi), Assam NEDFi House, G. S. Road, Dispur, Guwahati 781006; Tel: 91-361-2222200; Fax: 91-361-2237733; mail@nedfi.com; http://www.nedfi.com/aboutus

Provides financial assistance to micro, small, medium and large enterprises for setting up industrial, infrastructure projects in the North Eastern Region of India.

From Jawahar R. M. P., Tiruchirapalli Regional Engineering College – Science and Technology Entrepreneurs Park (TREC-STEP), Tamil Nadu

Women Entrepreneurs Association of Tamil Nadu (WEAT), Tamil Nadu Centre for Women’s Studies, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirapalli 24; Tel: 91-431-2407028; Fax: 91-431-2407045; http://www.ediindia.org/Creed/data%5CN%20Manimekalai.htm; Contact N. Manimekalai; manimekalaidr@yahoo.com

Works to help women to become successful entrepreneurs supporting right from identification of a project, skill training, and tie-up with bank for finance & marketing.

The Coimbatore District Small Scale Industries Association (CODISSIA), Tamil Nadu G. D. Naidu Towers, Post Bag No.3827, Huzur Road, Coimbatore 641018; Tel: 91-4222221582; Fax: 91-4222222131; info@codissia.com; http://www.codissia.com/about-codissia/

It functions as a development association conducting Seminars/Trainings/ Industrial Trade Fairs so as to develop & create awareness among industrial entrepreneurs.

Alaknanda Ghaati Shilpi (AAGAS) Federation, Uttarakhand(from J. P. Maithani) Village - Pipalkoti, District Chamoli 246472; Tel: 91-1372-214368; Fax: 91-1372-266450; aagaasfederation@gmail.com; http://www.aagaas.org/aim_objectives.html

Seeks to build upon the indigenous systems of community towards successful ecologically and economically viable livelihood systems.

From Warisha Yunus

Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE), Delhi Directorate General of Employment & Training (DGE&T), Shram Shakti Bhawan, 2 & 4, Rafi Marg, New Delhi 110001

Works to protect the interests of workers by facilitating a healthy work environment for higher productivity and to coordinate vocational skill training and employment services.

International Labour Organization (ILO), New Delhi India Habitat Centre, 3rd Floor, Core 4B, Lodi Road, New Delhi 110003; Tel: 91-11-24602101; Fax: 91-11-2460-2111; sro-delhi@ilo.org; http://www.ilo.org/public/english/region/asro/newdelhi/

Works to promote more and better quality jobs; is running a global program SCORE for helping SMEs improve productivity, efficiency as well as create better quality jobs.

BAIF Development Research Organization, Maharashtra Dr. Manibhai Desai Nagar, Warje, Pune 411058; Tel: 91-20-25231661; Fax: 91-20-25231662 baif@baif.org.in; http://www.baif.org.in/

It works towards encouraging small farmers and producers in organizing and participating in value chain activities.

Kutch Mahila Vikas Sangathan (KMVS), Gujarat Gouthami, 15 A, "Ameedhara" Revenue Colony, Himmat Nagar, Bhuj - 370001 Kutch - 370001, Gujarat, India; Tel: 02832-222124; joinkmvs@gmail.com

It is a collective of rural women who have formed self sustaining producer groups to improve their socio-economic status.

Aayam - Institute of Art and Culture (IAC), Rajasthan 6, Jawahar Nagar, Jaipur; Contact Mr. Chinmay Mehta; Tel: 91-9829065205

Works to generate employment amongst village women through traditional arts and crafts skills, revival of musical traditions and village tourism.

Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Delhi

Krishi Bhawan, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi 110001; Fax: 91-11-23388630; dir-ahdel@nic.in; http://dahd.nic.in/dahd/default.aspx

Works to strengthen animal husbandry as a livelihood option and has done good work on effective subsidy utilization.

Youth4Jobs, Andhra Pradesh Plot 135, Avenue 2 Road No. 13, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad 500034; Tel: 91-40-23331213; Fax: Fax No.; youth4jobs@gmail.com; http://www.youth4jobs.org/what_we_do.php

Works to provide innovative training that helps companies become inclusive; it provides vocational skills for the disabled, tailored to company needs.

National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (NIAEM), Andhra Pradesh Rajendranagar, Hyderabad – 500030; Tel: 91-40-24016702; Fax: 91-40-24015388; helpline@manage.gov.in; http://www.manage.gov.in/default.asp

An autonomous institute offers management training and education, consultancy, research and information services in the areas of agricultural extension.

National Institute of Agricultural Marketing (NIAM), Rajasthan Bambala, Kota Road, Jaipur-302033; Tel: 91-141-2770027; Fax: 91-141-2771938; dgniam@hotmail.com; http://www.ccsniam.gov.in/index.html

National level Institute set up by the Government of India to offer specialized training, research, consultancy and education in agricultural marketing.

National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD), Hyderabad Rajendranagar, Hyderabad - 500030; Tel: 91-40-24008526; Fax: 91-40-24016500; cit@nird.gov.in; http://www.nird.org.in/Index.aspx

Aims to improving the knowledge, skills and attitudes of rural development officials and non-officials through organising training, workshops and seminars.

Related Consolidated Replies Skill Development of the SC/ST Students, from Muniraju, Development Professional, Chennai (Referrals; Advice). Work and Employment Community, Solution Exchange, India Issued 07/10/2010. Available here (PDF,144 KB)

Seeks referrals of agencies that fund for the benefit of the SC/ST communities and advice on building the capacity of youth of these communities.

Responses in Full Priyanka Abbi, Accenture Services Private Limited, New Delhi Thank you so much for bringing up such an important topic on the forefront. I am presently associated with Accenture Services Private Limited as Business Analyst in the Sustainability domain. I have around six years of experience in Renewable Energy and Sustainability. I have been associated with the CSR team at my previous organization where we had an opportunity to work on ground with the rural populace. Some of the key findings based on the relevant experience in the sector are given below: • The rural population does not look for a fancy set of training modules but a simple, easy to

understand concepts delivered via faculty dealing with examples with which they can associate and thereby understand and implement in their lifestyle.

• On-site training involving the population with live demonstration examples where ever

possible should be carried out. • While imparting the training, an important point to be taken care of is the gender

involvement. One has to device the training in such a way that it requires and thereby promotes involvement of both the genders. To promote gender participation, the program could be phased in a a manner that a module cannot be completed without participation from the other gender.

• The trainer must be not only technically sound but should also possess the necessary skills to

tackle the rural population and their queries in a friendly manner. • The training wherever possible should be followed by some implementation level programs

where the knowledge imbibed by the participants is tested and thereafter appreciated through some entrepreneurial benefits and promotion.

These are some of the insights at my end and would be my pleasure to discuss further with your team whenever required. Warisha Yunus, Work and Employment Community, Solution Exchange, International Labour Organization (ILO), New Delhi This is a very relevant topic especially in Indian context which would be having 25% of the world’s workforce by 2020. It is estimated that in India 500 million youth would be required to undertake Vocational/ Technical Education by 2020 which makes it a very timely topic for us especially when we are seeing growth in urban areas and rise in rural-to-urban migration. On the questions raised in the query, I have the following points to make: Training Women for Local Jobs: To encourage women to access training institutes, the institutes must offer courses that help them get decent, local jobs like that of a teacher, a anganwadi worker etc. This will help the women in becoming economically independent while at the same time boost their self esteem. This may be helpful especially because women themselves prefer to live with/close to the family rather than going out to an unknown place to work. Developing Linkages between Rural Training Institutes and Industry: The Indian government had set up the Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) to develop skilled workforce for the industry. However, due to lack of linkage between the courses offered by the ITIs and the needs of the Industry, there is often a mismatch between the skills required by the industry and those possessed by the trained. There is an urgency to develop linkages between the two to bring a meaningful change in the quality of life of the people trained. More reformed ITIs in rural areas may also be helpful. Hiring Trainers with a Positive Outlook: The attitude and temperament of the trainers also play a very important role in getting youth especially from the disadvantage groups to access the training centers. There is a need to have the right kind of people as trainers to get the “target” trainees. Helping Workers Keep their Job: Even after getting the required skills set and a job, it has been found by several organizations working in this area that trainees from rural areas require soft skills and a lot of hand holding support in dealing with the pressures and challenges that

come with a new job and alien environment which includes maintaining good interpersonal relationships, ability to manage conflicts, meeting deadlines and ability to work under pressure etc. In the absence of soft skills and support, people leave their jobs since they are unable to deal with the pressure. Besides these, rural youth face language and technology related barriers hence they need to be trained in operating computers, basic English language. They also need to be trained within or around their villages so they are able to attend the training which they might miss for lack of transportation facilities or finances to manage a to and fro between home and training institute. Some of the points are also discussed in my interview with Ashoka Changemakers - Revamping Skills Training to Help India’s Rural Unemployed - available at http://www.changemakers.com/blog/revamping-skills-training-help-india-rural-unemployed Ram Bhat, Options & Solutions, Bengaluru, India As Priyanka and Warisha have said, this is a crucial theme for exploration and for taking forward. While I would agree with most of what they have mentioned, I would like to add a few points: • The key issue is finding employment in rural areas - you have mentioned rural areas have

high potential for productive livelihoods. Skills development is central to this; it is key to improving employability and livelihood opportunities, reducing poverty, enhancing agricultural and non-farm productivity, and promoting environmentally sustainable development in rural areas. My own experience in twenty years of work promoting livelihoods for women is that organized formal sector work opportunities in rural areas are still very few, and the opportunities are in areas linked to value addition, linkages and access to the right kind of market. Most of the courses offered by Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) essentially lead to migration to urban and peri-urban locations.

• Typically organized sector employment is clock-based employment, while the cultural ethos in

rural areas in Asia is still based on what I call sun-based - the exact timing is not so crucial, and hence the trend is to work in shorter spans of time, broken up with rest as one feels the need, breaks for multiple days for festivals (often connected with the harvest cycle). This is seen even in the training programmes - absenteeism and arriving late is common, and people expect one to accept their reasons, because they are genuine for them. Thus we find that attitude shift and job preparedness outweighs all forms of pure vocational training, for retention.

• Informal sector jobs invariably lead to market engagement - whether for the labour market

or the services/goods market. This essentially means that the person must become entrepreneurial in nature - this can be learnt, there are examples in Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD), ILO's own entrepreneurship manuals. My own experience with women in the Kolhapuri Chappal making groups has been very positive in enabling market orientation among women. The second corollary of informal work is that one needs to become multi-skilled, and must become capable of performing all functions of the particular area - for instance, if it is post harvest processing employing 10-15 people, one needs to be able to fill in for anyone who misses a day.

• The experience with non-formal training providers - NGOs, community colleges, Modular

Employable Skills (MES) courses - is that the most important element is the testing and certification, to enable a common quality standard which greatly enhances the employability of the trained. Such certification is best done with the active involvement of the

employers' body in that sector - the hospitality industry, the construction industry, the emerging renewable energy maintenance sector, and so on.

• Some skills are also location specific - one common thread is the processed foods sector -

which absorbs a very large number of small producers. Examples of the Thai effort at training street vendors across the country are very encouraging. Typically, branding and product differentiation, developing umbrella brands are essential to provide for larger scale employment - such as the Lijjat Papad units, the Rudi spices promoted by Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA). Standardization and use of technology, as is done by Annapurna Mahila Mandal in Vashi, Mumbai also are illuminating.

• As already mentioned, trainers must themselves be skilled in communication,

understanding cultural paradigms and be attuned to the sun vs. clock conflict. Training in soft skills and life skills, to manage life in often a new location, is crucial.

• Counseling and follow up post employment is equally crucial. This is difficult, but

without this, continued or sustained retention in the employment becomes difficult. • Most of the above apply for off-farm or non-farm sectors. In the farm sector, there are

already many examples of radio programmes, training by various NGOs [e.g., Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN) in Bihar on System of Rice Intensification (SRI), System of Wheat Intensification (SWI) etc.] but that is not my area of expertise, I would like others to add.

• Last, and probably the most important in my opinion, is the need to address the most

disadvantaged - women headed households, dalits, tribal youth, for which there need to be special modules on identity, self-esteem and self-confidence, most of which can happen with on-the-job ongoing support.

Priyanka Yadav, Prime Minister's Rural Development Fellow (PMRDF), Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Chattisgarh I am working as Prime Minister’s Rural Development Fellow (an initiative of the Ministry of Rural Development, India) in a remote and Maoist affected District named Kanker of Chattisgarh State, In India. I am here involved, inter alia in Skill development programs of Government of India and the state. Following are my learnings over the past few months of being here and working in the area of Skill Development – o Missing link between actual need and skill trainings provided: Most of the rural

areas in India are agrarian in nature; they have a rich base of knowledge about the same. The skill programs are oriented towards de-linking skill development from the age old knowledge and the real needs of the people. It imposes the skill development training for the need of the modern and urban world (training in computer, accountancy decoration etc).The result is that a large number of people who are still uneducated are not able to be participate in such "market oriented trainings." Thus the need is to plan with the people and incorporate their inherent skills and needs instead of imposing our plans on them.

o Lack of meaningful forward linkages: Majority of the skill development training

programs are short duration (2-3 months) courses, which do not necessarily provide sufficient employment opportunities, The result is that a trained rural youth earns INR 4000 in a big city. The small income is not sufficient to sustain one person, leave aside supporting his family. The youth thus disappointed goes back to his village and start working as a

laborer [there are Government programs like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)] in his own village and the skill training goes in vain. Small projects with strong forward linkages have been successful.

o Lack of infrastructure and trained human resource: In remote area like my current

place of work, infrastructure and quality human resources are other vital issues affecting the quality of training provided

Rit Chandra, University College London (UCL), London, United Kingdom I have jotted down some quick thoughts that occurred to me upon seeing this email on such a crucial subject. Quite often access to skills in rural areas is marred by faulty planning and implementation. Some steps to be kept in mind while developing a program for providing access to skills development in rural areas could be as follows: • Inventory of rural trades in an area and disaggregation into component processes. • Identification of product/service and quality standards demanded by customers in the

hinterland of the rural enterprise/trade. • Identification of processes where injection of modern skills can improve productivity and

innovation (with respect to the standards requirement). • Identification of training institutions (or enterprises willing to enter into apprenticeship

training). In the case of training institutions (like ITIs or ITCs), an examination into their financial and technical capacity, and governance structure should also be conducted so that systemic bottlenecks can be identified and flagged with concerned authorities for redressal.

• Development of National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT)-compatible standards for rural trades.

• Development of short-duration training modules (including soft skills) and progression levels in a particular trade.

• Identification of trainers and development of Training of Trainers (ToT) programmes. • Involving the local community in monitoring training and also reducing absenteeism

and drop-out. • Identification of examination and accreditation bodies and development of examination and

accreditation procedures. • Development of mechanism to test life-long learning and provide direct accreditation from

NCVT. • Tie-up with microfinance and government lending agencies to provide soft loans for

equipment and start-up capital for certified trainees. • Implementation of mentoring and monitoring program during first two years of post-

certification employment/entrepreneurship (including marketing support). This list is by no means comprehensive and comments and additions are most welcome. The list also assumes that there is realistic governmental support (financial and procedural) to make training a financially viable activity. Balakrushna Panda, Development Professional, Bengaluru I have worked in a skill development project supported by European Union as Assistant Project Manager through Functional Vocational Training and Research Society (FVTRS), Bangalore. Through this we could reach 60 remote backward districts in 12 states of India and trained around 6000 school dropout youth in different employable trades. During selection of implementing NGOs, I got the opportunity to visit and observe the realities at the grassroot very closely.

• There is a need to create demand for skill training through awareness programmes in

schools and colleges. Youth needs to know various options that they can choose from. The short term bridge courses are to be designed to make the college graduates employable. If possible a systematic syllabus can be introduced along with the current curricula to ensure that the student from IXth class onwards acquires the soft skills required to enhance his chances of finding a job and keeping it.

• Most of the NGOs are dependent on outside funds to continue their programs which make it difficult for them to develop programs with a long term vision.

• NGOs can play the role of connecting rural youth with various government schemes and programme. The Modular Employable Skills (MES) scheme, Jan Sikhyan Sansthan training modules, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) community college models, National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), Vocational Training Institutes are all unique in their way and are really effective. There are 80 percent students in rural India who are not even high school graduates. Such students never get the opportunity to come to urban areas where most of the training centers are located. It is imperative for NGOs to play the connecting role here between the rural youth and opportunities available for them outside of their villages.

• Young entrepreneurs may be encouraged to start training institutes on franchise model, backed by the standard curriculum and mandates. The loan support provided by National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) is limited to big institutes and corporate training houses. A similar support for grass root entrepreneurs will yield better result.

• Mobile training institutes as initiated in Gujarat and Rajasthan by Saath may help to some extent but alternative ways like establishing mobile team of trade specific trainers and shifting them from one location to the other in a fixed interval will prove helpful. Here the centers physically will not move. Instruments and trainers will move. This will reduce the installation cost and ensure that more than one type of skill training is provided at a particular location and a specific skill can be replicated in many areas at the same time.

• As a follow up support to the skilled workers, their cell phone can be connected to the call center through a toll free number giving them on the job training support to resolve job related challenges.

• There is a need to promote training facilities at the village level that have easy to understand curricula, use locally available raw materials, respond to market demand etc. Skill training is to be a paid service, a business model and to be promoted at grass root level through social entrepreneurs/trainers.

• Agriculture based training are mostly land dependent and though they are the best suitable rural trades, availability of land to start the enterprise after the training some times becomes difficult. In most of the cases, Banks want land in the entrepreneur's name and there the buck stops.

Training duration, training timing, location of the training center (the distance from trainees’ home), availability of raw material, market, money (to start the entrepreneurship) , linkage with potential employers (to get employment after training) are some of the key factors apart from the trainer, training material, curricula and certification.

On the job training and skill certification is a successful model but is specific to urban destinations. The Larsen and Toubro Model of skill training in construction related trades is very successful. L. D. Kala, Science Technology and Development Initiative (STAD), New Delhi

This question and its answers is the key to understanding developmental process and its impact on rural societies and hence upon the entire society. In developing societies, where the development and infrastructure has not been available in equitable manner, any education or skill based initiative will cause migration of skilled population to urban settings. This is natural and should not be interfered with. Not allowing this will mean denying the facilities of progress and development to this population. You need al ot of motivation to stay back in infrastructure wise poor regions of rural interiors. The most important thing is providing opportunities and livelihood to all. This does not again mean refraining from taking such initiatives to them. This will be inhuman and selfish. The question now is how to go forward in such a manner so that the migration do not happen or happens to the minimal. In India Industrial Training Institutes (it is) have provided the best model for skill training and it has retrospectively been recognized by governmental agencies, banks etc., should a trainee decide to go for an enterprise, which usually happens in one's native location most of the time. Our experience is based on our work in rural region of Uttarakhand hills in India. We have conducted a need survey and also a feasibility survey for establishing a rural polytechnic in Uttarakhand at Gairsain, a rural underdeveloped hilly region. We are still looking for funds to start. However, we are continuing with skill enhancement of rural youths here through project and other funds. However, we could not give it an institutional shape in this manner. Hence my approach would be: • Continue with institutions like ITIs, these are the most robust model of skill training with

systemic recognition. • Any other skill training model should have the advantages of the ITI system built in to it,

such as bank recognition and government support for self employment. • Evolve new skill trainings and approach such that the trainees are engaged in traditional

trades with modern scheme of things. • The approach needs to be changed. The trainees will in all probability be from a background

which does not provide much family and professional support. They need professional and psychological support and motivation to adopt trades related to traditional activities in their own native regions. Hence a strong support base with competent personnel is needed to guide them. No existing systems have provided that intensity and ITIs the least. This is also the cause of migration even for those, who are not inclined to migrate.

• Thought the recent modular skills programmes apparently appears to be doing well but in the long run, a certification recognized as is the case with ITI system, is must for its sustainability and effectiveness.

The irony is to be understood that local youths are migrating elsewhere, whereas youths from other areas are migrating there. Hence a lot of thinking and scientific inputs are required to attract youths to trades that flourish or can flourish within their own region. Meera Shenoy, National Council on Skill Development (NCSD) Office of Advisor to the Prime Minister on Skilling, New Delhi First of all, thanks for bringing our attention to ILO Tree approach - I looked at the manuals etc and find, with customization, it is well-worth piloting this in India, if it has not been done so already. The only examples on the net I found were initiatives in Pakistan and Africa. I would like to work with your team on this.

Regarding your queries and I will not repeat some of the points already made: • Training centres should be as close to the poor as possible. This makes it possible for the

unreached to access trainings. Existing infrastructure like schools, community halls could be used. Mobile training centres also work well.

• The needs of girl youth/women have to be kept in mind - flexibility in timings, safe space, training modules which incorporate life skills, health, and financial module.

• The needs of vulnerable like disabled should form part of the design - this can include sheltered workshop trainings or training for wage employment, depending on their qualification and degree of disability

• Focus should be on the BIMARU states like Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh - here customization is the key to success. For example, in project design, girls of Bihar will not migrate but in Jharkhand, tribal girls migrate for jobs.

• Local market scanning- wherever possible local opportunities need to be explored including new investments, large government project staff - health workers, teachers, agricultural extension workers etc.

• All trainings need to look at the whole value chain of a youth being unemployed/underemployed to getting a quality job and sensitive support mechanism if he/she migrates because there are no local opportunities. Post placement support centres/migration resource centres need to be part of this plan.

• Capacity building of training centres in rural areas is important. Many of these are NGOs with little or no exposure to quality/markets.

• With shortage of quality trainers, investment in mixed media training is important. Unfortunately, power is a major constraint. In Assam I found villages had barely two hours power.

Kuldeep Sharma, Academy of Dairy Skill Development, Suruchi Consultants, Noida After spending over 25 years in the Dairy Industry, we have launched an Academy of Dairy Skill Development at Noida. We have developed training programs for rural youth to act as a village level center in charge for milk collection, milk chilling center in charge and dairy plant operators for small to medium plants. We are also designing programs for the labor being used at Halwais shop (sweetmeat shops) to understand the basics of food safety, hygiene and energy conservation. Later we plan to develop basic program to develop cadre to act as village dairy worker who would be instrumental in sharing basic knowledge of animal management, feed and nutrition, artificial insemination, manure management and clean milk production. We are looking out for e-learning platform to share about our courses in order to be more pervasive and cost effective. Organizations interested to develop such domain specific skills may collaborate with us for a purposeful journey. Dinabandhu Karmakar, Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN), Kolkata I work with an NGO - Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN). I have been involved in promoting Integrated Natural Resource Management (INRM) based livelihoods for rural smallholders / farmers in different states in India. In the following I am trying to share my views on the valuable question you raised:

What kinds of skills are needed to support the development of rural communities and economy? My experience of investment in rural youths for appropriate skill and knowledge building on Integrated Natural Resource Management (INRM) has always been very encouraging across locations. I initiated such trainings for youth selected by the Project implementing agencies that implemented the National Watershed Development Programme, launched by Government of India in 1994 and continue to do so for the people now involved in planning and implementation of INRM activities under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). Most of the actors (Panchayati Raj Institutions, Block and District administrations, NGOs) responsible and involved in planning and implementing MGNREGS or other rural development programmes, all face paucity of skilled workers who can be with the community to organize and help them to come up with their own plan which they can implement it. In the absence of such quality planning and implementation services, the actors are compelled to compromise both in planning and implementation of MGNREGS and other programmes, which otherwise provide excellent opportunity to build and strengthen natural resource based livelihoods assets to enhance productivity and carrying capacity of any given geographical terrain. It demands to impart knowledge and skills on the following: Knowledge related: • What is/ are the programmes like MGNREGS? (This could be about other big programme also

e.g. Backward Regions Grant Fund, Integrated Watershed Management Programme etc.) • How the local agencies (Panchayati Raj Institutions etc.)/ mainstream systems are trying to

implement different programmes? • What are the difficulties they face in planning and implementing those programmes? • What are the scopes for improvement? Skill related: • Skills to mobilize and organize a village community. • Conducting a purposive meeting around any given programme. • Conducting exposure visits for the community. • Skills to interact and build relationship with the community and other local stakeholders. • Communication skills to help community / other stakeholders understand the issue. • Prepare and maintain various documents (book keeping, basic accounts, vouching, etc) • Writing applications. Skills related to preparing INRM plans (various activities that would enhance carrying capacities of lands, water, etc). For example - • Understanding different maps (cadastral, topographic etc) • Delineating watersheds • Preparing design and estimates of proposed intervention activities e.g. water harvesting, land

shaping, nursery raising, small community managed irrigation infrastructure designing etc) How can we extend training opportunities to reach out rural areas? (should more public training institutions be built in rural areas? Would working with non-formal providers [e.g. rural area based community organizations, or NGOS] be a solution? How about mobile or technology solutions?) To my understanding local existing PRI institutions should work in close collaboration with some NGOs. Both of them should work together under some government initiative to avoid political tensions. And some capable resource agencies need to be involved with minimum three years commitment to extend not only training but also on-field hand holding support.

What are measures to encourage women, young people and disadvantaged groups in rural areas to take up training? Again, I think we need to appeal and apply the local Institutions (PRIs and NGOs to identify trainees. They can identify the SJHGs, farmers clubs, and village development committees etc who can easily identify reliable persons who can provide services to the same communities that will be involved in programme implementation. What are the key success factors for improving access to skills training in rural areas? Identifying and investing in local agencies (PRIs or NGOs) to help them anchor this responsibilities to host and second, the trained persons could work as pivot to ensure success. What are good examples of how agricultural extension services have been integrated with formal skills training programs to deliver nationally recognized training to farmers and farm workers? Promotion of community resource persons in different projects being implemented by PRADAN (e.g. Gumla, Bokaro, Khunti and other districts of Jharkhand; Purulia and bankura Districts in West Bengal). How can skills training in rural areas lead to better and advanced skills for the beneficiaries? Unlike keeping accounts or marketing produce, skill and knowledge transfer services are not of repetitive in nature. Once the skill and knowledge on any resource management services are provided, the farmers would not need any regular support, they would be independent to use her/ his skills and knowledge. At the same time before imparting or getting exposed to this knowledge, they would have very little ability to appreciate the need for such training. Under such circumstances some ‘capacity building service cost’ to be provided to the trained resource persons with some designed built in accountability (could be looked after by the local anchoring agencies – PRIs, NGOs etc) so that they provide required handholding support at the cutting edge – where the ultimate beneficiaries are enabled. S. Balakrishnan, Vrutti Livelihoods Resource Centre, Bengaluru Please find below is some of quick thoughts on the questions raised. This is based on Vrutti’s experience working with communities, Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and partner organisations. How can we extend training opportunities to reach out rural areas? (should more public training institutions be built in rural areas? Would working with non-formal providers [e.g. rural area based community organizations, or NGOS] be a solution? How about mobile or technology solutions?) • At present there is no quality training facility available to train people. A block level training

institute (Rural Livelihood School) could be established with necessary audio visual facilities to train on new techniques, technologies and skills. It should also run like an information center.

• Farmers learn by seeing and doing. Hence exposures and demonstrations will play important role in training.

• Farmers learn from other farmers easily. Hence farmers who have experimented and got good results are involved as resource persons for trainings. In addition, we have to involve technical persons and scientists.

• Local need based trainings and also skills which have demand in the market and city/urban areas are also to be taught, this will help to prepare one person in the family who is salaried or a regular earner for family. It reduces the household risk given that agriculture has

become riskier due to uncertain rains, non availability of timely labors, pests and disease, increased cost of cultivation, and uncertain market prices and returns.

What kinds of skills are needed to support the development of rural communities and economy? • Rural community needs trainings mainly on farm based and non-farm based skill trainings to

improve their livelihoods. • Farm Based sub-sectors which need trainings in are:

o Seed production and marketing; o Integrated nutrient and pest management; o Soil and water management and rain water harvesting o Collective farming and marketing; o Dairy development - First Aid for animals and breed improvement, preparation of

feeds, value addition of Milk (Khova, Fat extraction, Paneer, etc), Goatery, Poultry etc.;

o Composting, agro-forestry and agro-horticulture • Non-farm based may include service sector based training - computer training/coaching,

establishing Mini dhal mills, skill trainings in masonry, motor/cycle repair, driving, food processing, facility management skills etc.

What are measures to encourage women, young people and disadvantaged groups in rural areas to take up training? • Sharing the success stories of women, providing exposure to places where women have

made remarkable achievements to motivate the prospective trainees • Most of the villages have women’s Self Help Groups, which can be identified and focused on

for training. A separate group of disadvantaged can be formed for the training. What are the key success factors for improving access to skills training in rural areas? • Location of the training should be approachable and within the village or vicinity of 4-5 Km.

Especially to encourage women, location plays important role. • Fees for skill trainings should be reasonable and skill trainings are need based and demand

driven. What are good examples of how agricultural extension services have been integrated with formal skills training programs to deliver nationally recognized training to farmers and farm workers? • Extension in Agriculture is very weak because of the limited staff in the department and

hence reach is very less. • Each village has some farmers who do agriculture innovatively and follow the locally needed

method and producing well as compared to others. Such successful farmers/farm women are to be identified and used as resource persons for training the other farmers.

• Progressive farmer led extension service system is working well - we are implementing a social enterprise model called Agriculture Enterprise Facilitation Centre (AEFC) located at Block level. This we are implementing in Madhya Pradesh, India.

How can skills training in rural areas lead to better and advanced skills for the beneficiaries? • Skill trainings which are having demand in the market are important. For example, training in

First Aid and Artificial Insemination in livestock, Carpentry, Plumbing, Electrician’s, and Masson’s training are all much required skills for rural areas as well. They help the person in becoming self-employed.

Smita Premchander, Sampark, Bangalore Good to see a valuable discussion taking place. The community members have shared very valuable experiences and made suggestions. Some points that I want to make are as follows: How can we extend training opportunities to reach out rural areas? (should more public training institutions be built in rural areas? Would working with non-formal providers [e.g. rural area based community organizations, or NGOS] be a solution? How about mobile or technology solutions?) It is true that rural remote areas don’t have training institutions. It is a fallacy to believe that we can take all specialized institutions to all remote areas. This is impractical. It is important to link with the best institutions imparting the skills that are needed and relevant for people in a certain region. Then get these institutions to come and offer trainings, or send selected youth to these institutions. It would be worthwhile to pay for the additional costs of sending and providing for stay of the students. Or the trainers, in case trainings are held locally. Over time, if and when people are able to pay and are mobile, the trainees will go where the institutes are. In the meanwhile, the link has to be supported, incentivized. Involving NGOs is a good idea, and this should be done for at least three jobs: • Identification and linking the students with the training organization, • Monitoring the quality of training and attendance of trainees, and • Follow up of the children, youth, after training, till they are either placed, or self employed,

or take up further training. What kinds of skills are needed to support the development of rural communities and economy? Hundreds of types of skills are needed. The Directorate General of Employment and Training (DGE&T) in Delhi authorizes public and private Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) all over the country for providing training in different skills. I understand there are more than five hundred skills sanctioned just for the Modular Employable Skills (MES) training. There are other regular trades that ITIs teach as well. And then of course a subset will need to be selected for every location. Some completely new trades may be needed in specific locations as well. What are measures to encourage women, young people and disadvantaged groups in rural areas to take up training? The constraints that disadvantaged groups face are: • Lack of time, they are already working and need to give up the work to come and train

themselves; • Lack of money, in case they need to pay for the trainings, even if it is part payment. Even if

a programme like MES has the provision to refund the money paid as fees, the aspiring student may not be able to pay up Rs. 750, for example, upfront. Secondly, such refunds are conditional on passing an assessment test. The test itself takes a month to take place and then another month to get the results. Add 3-6 months of training. The person has to invest Rs.750 for the fees for 9 months, and Rs. 600 for the assessment for about 3 months. From where are poor people, especially extremely disadvantaged households to get this money? They need stipends in fact. Not large upfront payments.

What are the key success factors for improving access to skills training in rural areas?

Good rapport and relationship with the villagers is key - a good understanding of their livelihoods, livelihoods approach integrated with planning for skills training so that the planning is in line with the vision and opportunities likely to be available in the local area. How can skills training in rural areas lead to better and advanced skills for the beneficiaries? Identify and train people in relevant skills, which have a local demand. Or those who are willing to migrate out of villages teach them skills which have a good market potential in urban areas and other regions, even other countries. Rights awareness is extremely important. Setting up systems by which labour migration is accountable, and trafficking cannot be done, is key. Contractors need to be monitored carefully. Attention to these issues is as important as getting high quality technical training organized in appropriate trades. Harsh Singh, Development Professional, Noida Here are some thoughts based on my involvement with the preparation of the draft Skill Development Policy document for the state of Bihar (which is growing rapidly, but remains one of the least developed states in India). A number of contributions have talked about the specific context and needs of rural areas. Thus I would like to focus on some broad issues of the skill building architecture. First, I have reached the conclusion that states/provinces need to develop a robust architecture for skill development with the same earnestness that they have shown in the education sector. This is necessary for serving both the urban and the rural areas. In other words, the current approach of many of the state governments going in for large ad hoc contracts for training should give way to a focus on creating the basic foundation/architecture. The architecture should leverage and integrate the knowledge base that already exists, but lies dormant in various public institutions. In the absence of such a knowledge base, various institutions end-up delivering sub-standard skill development support. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) should be leveraged to ensure that all have access to quality skill development knowledge base. The other important element of the architecture is a workable delivery mechanism. One of the contributors to this discussion talked of a franchise mechanism. I too support this. If one looks around carefully, one would find a large no of tiny skill providers even in small semi-rural hamlets. They need to be integrated into the larger system and supported through quality skill pedagogy etc. It is important to note that only such local entrepreneurs could serve their rural hinterland-expecting public institutions to cover the vast rural expanse in a responsive manner is a pursuit of the impossible. Another contributor has talked of the problems on the demand side. This is a reality and even fully funded programmes go abegging. To overcome this, not only the focus and the quality of training have to be improved as above, a number of supplementary social services and labour security measures need to be integrated under a ‘skills plus’ approach. Thus for instance, a women farmer should also receive her artisan credit card at the end of her training. Such back-end integration will not be difficult once there is a resolve to make skill development relevant to the livelihood needs of the stakeholder population.

Preeti Maheshwari, Development Professional, New Delhi To answer some of the questions raised in the query, I shall be sharing my experiences as oart of my engagement in Swaranjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana– Special Projects (SGSY-SP) project by Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD). The project’s mandate was to train 7000 (varied for agencies) Below Poverty Line (BPL) rural youth and place them in jobs within a time period of two years. Our assigned states were Uttar Pradesh (U.P.), Haryana and Rajasthan. I am sharing below my experiences – • We managed to reach this number rather more than that through Anganwadi workers and

partnered with local institutes for infrastructure needs. The enrollments came voluntarily as trainings were free and were with added advantage of providing certificates. The trades that we selected were Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), typing, voice calling, retail, hospitality and security.

• We managed to place all trained individuals for jobs as all of these industries remain always in need of man power.

However, we faced high attrition rate and reasons were: White and blue colored jobs: • Candidates from relatively prosperous region were with high expectations and were not

ready to take jobs for Rs. 5000 per month. The reason was that the jobs were available in cities where the living costs are high. Small salaries lead to practically no savings. Moreover, rural youth are uncomfortable with the ‘performance pressure’ that they have to face in these jobs. Their environment in rural setting is too relaxed and their financial cycle is such that they secure their one year food at one particular time i.e. one time purchase of wheat/rice and rent free homes, making their life easy in an approx. amount of Rs 40000 per annum. In that setting there is no fire to compete or struggle for a living. Although we got some good response from eastern U.P. which has high unemployment rate. We tried this for non-BPL candidates as well but failed.

Industrial labor jobs: • The technical jobs like dye making, machinery related jobs again came with half success. The

issues were again high expectations. The added issues with such industrial jobs were - normal working hours are 8+4 (necessary over time). Although that makes candidate to make Rs. 7000 per month but some points that makes the workers uneasy while working in these industries are: long hours of work, working near furnaces etc, home sickness, inability to feel socially accepted and feeling of insecurity. In this case also we got better response from less prosper region. My experience says that if we can make them stay on in the job for at least 10 initial days then retention would be 50%. Yes, that also points at another factor when herd mentality plays out. The leader of the group can sway the decision of all members.

• A list-able success was when we manage to mobilize women from villages to work in

Industries in near by SEZ zone and was provided with transport facility. This solved labor scarcity of that company as well. Providing transport was turning out to be the profitable proposition and which is why such solution came up.

Skill training is a new buzz word in development sector and organizations are doing it because it translates into making huge money for them. But I doubt if there is any impact study where mapping of success cases has been attempted. My attempt is to contribute and not to blame but it would be nice if we can think of solution and face the same fate the 'toilet installation movement' faced.

I think it is necessary to project the demand first in respect of skill, remuneration, regional availability of industries. Then we have to see this in parallel with what rural people want and what could be the pressure points that may compel these folks to surrender their comforts and aspiration for (better??) life through industrial jobs. All approached industries during the project apprised us that industry is ready to train labor but they want stable employees. Suresh Gutta, Development Professional, Hyderabad The topic contents are quite interesting and the experiences gained in Andhra Pradesh evince that a minimum of 4 months training assures entry level jobs for unemployed rural youth, however with this accelerated trend, the villages youth are migrating for better employment opportunities to urban set ups in which they face challenges in acquainting themselves to newer environments. Thus there is a need to empower the local youth by providing skills which have local demand. This will help them to earn decent income without loosing their sense of belonging. However, the point here is how long the trained candidates would continue with the employment opportunity that he/she has received as a result of the newly acquired skills! Some points I want to make are as follows: • Market assessment or scanning of opportunities at village level is required before setting up

any skill development program for rural youth - this is to be done in assessing the emerging trends and demand in particular skills for at least 3 years, as there is a danger of demand being low and supply being high, therefore there needs to be high priority for market scan.

• To engage youth and in particular excluded groups, successfully trained and employed youth must participate in conducting mobilization drives. This will help the community in understanding the advantages of skill development and its benefits in enhancing the income of the family. The knowledge I gained while working with skill development project for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) is a problem with placement opportunities and access.

• To improve better access for rural youth in skill development, its high time to apply technology in agricultural sector which is been less attractive. The concept of - vyavasaya mitra - friend to farmer, who shall guide the farmers in increasing the productivity and in applying the new technologies, must be implemented so that the youth can earn while supporting the agriculture and allied sectors. Apart from this, skills to repair the equipments which are being used in agri sector could be one potential skills area in villages.

• Skills inventory at village level would be greatly helpful to understand the skills availability and demand for it.

• It is much important to have quality trainers envisaging the employability at village level, as well strengthening the skills of Trainers with new technologies.

Sumit K. Jha, National Institute of Real Estate Management (NIREM), New Delhi Please consider the following: How can we extend training opportunities to reach out rural areas? (should more public training institutions be built in rural areas? Would working with non-formal providers [e.g. rural area based community organizations, or NGOS] be a solution? How about mobile or technology solutions?) The ideal training environment would be presence of public training institutions, NGOs/CBOs as well as formal private training providers. Each one of these has its own advantages. We need to work on a hub-and-spoke model where in basic level training could be provided within the community/village/panchayat level while and next level of training can be offered at block level.

What kinds of skills are needed to support the development of rural communities and economy? We need to consider that now rural economy does not only mean agriculture economy. We need to recognize the fact that today rural economy has many different components, each one of which offers great economic opportunity and therefore has its own training requirement. While most of us today focus on agriculture based training, we should also consider other areas for example training on mobile repairing, computer hardware training and so on.  What are measures to encourage women, young people and disadvantaged groups in rural areas to take up training? • Sharing of success stories • Actual success of first batches of participants that motivates others to take up similar

training. What are the key success factors for improving access to skills training in rural areas? • Location of training centers • Cost/fee • Recognition of training needs by potential participants; this requires effective public

communication campaigns by Government as well as NGOs. What are good examples of how agricultural extension services have been integrated with formal skills training programs to deliver nationally recognized training to farmers and farm workers? The most effective training takes place when the successful/innovative farmers are associated with the training delivery system.  How can skills training in rural areas lead to better and advanced skills for the beneficiaries? • This requires identification of skills in demand for both self-employment as well as

employment in different sectors (both rural and urban) • Practical based training which means (1) demonstration based training in case of agriculture

sector as well as skills that are required for local usage and (2) internship/on-the-job training in case of skills that are in demand for employment opportunity and where employers have identified the skill requirement and need manpower with that skill set.

Mahua Roy Choudhury, State Society for Ultra Poor and Social Welfare, Department of Social Welfare (DoSW), Government of Bihar, Patna Most of the rural villages in India are deprived of basic facilities of health care, child care, quality education services, social care services for People with Disabilities (PwDs) and the elderly. Various Government run programs such as Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA), Integrated Child Protection Schemes (ICPS), District Disability Rehabilitation Centres and Social Protection Schemes appoints a large number of local youths to implement and provide mother and child care services, rural sanitation services and social care services. The volume of required service providers can be gauged from this example from Bihar- It has 90,000 Aaganwadi Centres (Mother and Child Care Centres) and in the financial year 2013-2014 has the mandate of having 1, 40,000 Aganwadi Centres, each centre catering to a population of 1000. The services provided from these centres are – • supplementary nutrition

• immunization • health check-up • referral services • pre-school non-formal education and • nutrition & health education Most of these services are provided by Aaganwadi Workers who are locally selected. Bihar needs to engage 1,80,000 Aaganwadi Workers and Sevikas to provide these services. Similarly Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA) engages a host of para teachers, paramedics and psychiatrists. A large number of care givers are required for providing care services to the elderly people as well as counselors, clinical psychologists, teachers for hearing impaired are required to provide services for PwDs. While designing skill development programs we generally harp upon improving the agriculture sector or manufacturing sector and introduce modern and marketable trades in our polytechnic institutes, RUDSETIs or try to develop community resource persons for agriculture extension. We fail to understand that a large number of trained teachers, nurses, counselors, mother and child care givers, trained birth attendants, auxiliary nurse and midwives, Montessori teachers gerontologists are required to be developed. With the malnutrition status of India at 46%, and low standards of pre-school education status it is required that we harp on rural youth to impart skill training to them in the above mentioned service sectors. This would require concerted effort and infrastructure development and opening up of a chain of rural training institutions with lab facilities to develop skilled manpower for effective delivery of the government run social sector initiatives. This would also draw in private companies to deliver services in rural areas and thus meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Best practices using Mobile phones BBC Media Action has developed a training course, called Mobile Academy, to expand and refresh Community Health Workers (CHWs) knowledge of 10 life-saving health behaviors and to enhance their communication skills. More on this can be accessed on the following site, http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaaction/where_we_work/asia/india/india_sdp_empowering_chw_ma_mk.html . My earnest submission is that economic and social development should go hand in hand and an effort to develop service sector can gainfully benefit the poor. There is a need to look beyond agri, agri allied, industrial and manufacturing sector.   Sanjeev Kumar, The Goat Trust, Lucknow Training has its own advantages and limitations for employment generation and experiences in rural India under Training of Rural Youth for Self Employment (TRYSEM) and self employment programs have proven it time and again. Before I come to the training issue, I would like to clarify that an integrated approach on skills, attitude, knowledge building should also be accompanied with collaboration with potential employer (may be village community for their programs and production). On Training front, I have following specific information to share - How can we extend training opportunities to reach out rural areas? (should more public training institutions be built in rural areas? Would working with non-formal

providers [e.g. rural area based community organizations, or NGOS] be a solution? How about mobile or technology solutions?) Training can only be extended once a trainee is psychologically prepared to participate and learn. A pre training orientation program can save lot of cost and energy to assess compatible needs and interests. NGOs can be involved in such a 1-2 days orientation and a set of business and skill counselors need to be contacted for the same. A pool of trainers from the local area may be prepared for organizing training. Such multidisciplinary expertise can hardly be available with a particular Government and/or NGO. What kinds of skills are needed to support the development of rural communities and economy? Rural people are also consumers of services and skills product and not just providers. If we start with skills used for local production or upgradation of same, chances of success are high. Rural people, when they to migrate to urban areas for selling skills, a lot of time goes into developing linkages as well as the confidence. Achievement motivation training, life planning skills and soft skills should be integral part of such training and methodology should be based on case and simulation rather than theoretical input. What are measures to encourage women, young people and disadvantaged groups in rural areas to take up training? Orientation on opportunities, success cases, linkages and support for initial struggle period, building social capital, assured apprenticeship can encourage women and young disadvantaged people to shift to new skill based training and livelihoods. What are the key success factors for improving access to skills training in rural areas? Trust on quality, enough practice opportunity, flexible timing, appropriate learning tools and class room learning well supplemented with practical sessions and apprenticeship opportunity to earn and learn are basic success factors. What are some good examples of how training services are delivering formally recognised skills in rural areas (e.g. mobile training schemes, peer training approaches, etc.)? There had been some cases of urban returned rural youth starting training on electronic goods repair and mobile repair, and it has picked up well. Understanding context, learning from peer and practices, personal counseling to trainee and his/her parents had been hallmark of such process. What are some good examples of how distance/blended learning and mobile phone services can deliver skills training in rural areas? In our experiences very limited scope for disadvantaged, however skill upgradation on job has a good scope. What are good examples of how agricultural extension services have been integrated with formal skills training programs to deliver nationally recognized training to farmers and farm workers? Agricultural extension services in India need to work on both ends - demand side as well as supply side. The Goat Trust has developed Pashu Sakhi as a small livestock development (Goat/poultry) change agent through training and fortnightly meeting support for whole one year. Training only give results if they have enough scope for practice and reflections and support for an extended period of time.

How can skills training in rural areas lead to better and advanced skills for the beneficiaries? Skills should have social and economic values and trainee should be able to enhance personal behavior effectiveness, hygiene and health to achieve any such objectives. V. Prameela, Sampark, Bengaluru I work with Sampark - an NGO based in Bangalore that works with women, children and youth in Koppal District of Karnataka. It has implemented the following strategy and steps in organizing the skill training for youth. Step 1: Conducting motivational training sessions for the youth; both boys and girls at village level. Another way is to get the application forms filled by the youth through members of income generating programme (IGP) committees of cluster associations. Step 2: Training the youth on business idea generation and facilitate the process to identify the feasible ideas for skill training. The emphasis would be on the idea selected for the vocational training. Step 3: Conducting local market survey for the viable ideas involving youth. Step 4: Once the market oriented idea is identified, and if there are about 10-15 youth interested in the same idea, for example, tailoring, then the teacher would be identified and the tailoring classes would be organized in a common place. If there are only three to four youth interested in an identified idea, then they would be associated with the local training institutions or service centre - example: driving and mobile servicing. Step 5: During the skill training period, Sampark conducts training on business concepts, covering aspects on what is an enterprise, market survey, costing and pricing, packing and negotiation strategies which would help them to start their own enterprise after the completion of training. Step 6: Sampark organizes trainings on soft skills such as communication and how to deal with customers or clients which helps to develop youth holistically to have improved livelihoods. Step 7: Once the samples are ready, the youth conduct market survey and based on the market demand, decide on the product and start production. Some of them find jobs in institutions, factories and organizations that are linked by Sampark. Step 8: After completion of the skill training, Sampark and members of IGP committees conduct follow ups and develops case studies and learn lessons which would be discussed in future. Step 9: Sampark conducts survey and identifies the institutions, factories and organizations - both for organizing skill trainings and job placements for the youth. This strategy of package of motivational trainings, identifying market oriented skill training area, technical inputs, soft skills and enterprise concepts and institutional linkages for job opportunities and credit linkages helped youth either to go for job or start self employment. This entire process takes about 3 to 8 months depending upon the skill training area. Sampark experience showed that about 80% of youth have utilized skill training after their completion of training. Usually as soon as they complete training especially driving they go for job for about 6- 10 months later on they take credit and bout vehicles auto or car and run their own enterprise. These training participants are daughters or sons of women self help groups which are promoted

by Sampark. Due to this getting credit is not a problem for these youth so they are able to start their enterprises after completion of skill training. Rajen Varada, Technology For The People (TFT), Kodagu District, Karnataka I endorse most of the inputs that my fellow members have provided with some very in depth information based on their experience and lucid understanding of the issues which surround the questions that you have asked. However, there are a few critical issues that need to be also addressed before even considering the points that you have raised. What is the bedrock on which all that you wish to do is based? It needs the following: Administrative Will and Competence: This is where many schemes of the government fail. It takes committed administrative will and ability to deliver the services. Convergence and Collaboration: There is no convergence in planning and implementation between and within district level delivery agencies (it is of course non existent at the central and state levels). Service delivery agents on the ground need to have effective collaboration between the diverse departments and sometimes within the departments which are supposed to deliver to the same set of beneficiary groups. This is a critical element in the success of any of the issues that need to be addressed. Monitoring and Evaluation: There is very little genuine monitoring and evaluation of departments by a third party. Often each department declares its "success" in delivery of its mandated programs with scant regard to the reality on the ground.For policies to be successful they need to be negotiated at the STATE level. Capacities need to be strengthened at the STATE and DISTRICT level to interact with various agencies on the ground. Education: All this will need to be bound by a thread of an educational system that DOES NOT alienate the youth from their roots. You need to address the whole elephant, not just the parts of it. I wish you all success. Raj Jani, Independent Consultant, Jaipur I whole heartedly agree with Mahua Roy Choudhury that it is time to look beyond traditional, oft repeated and mundane manufacturing, handicrafts and agriculture sector based skills! Having worked in Creative and Cultural Industries for over one and a half decade now, I give below an account of new jobs on the block for urban or rural youth, which have the potential to absorb numbers: • Graphic designers (both for print and web media like web designers) to work with media

houses or independent • Web-marketing specialists (including social media experts) to work as freelance or with

media houses • Theatre artists (specialist in nukkad nataks) to work on varied social communication

campaigns with new generation for and with specialized agencies like www.banglanatak.com • Musicians, bhajan singers and dancers for the ever growing tourism industry (practically

every big hotel or heritage resort in Rajasthan and many metros employ at least 2-3 such rural performers these days)

• Masseurs and saloon boys/girls to offer massage and beauty services to a growing urban elite class even in B grade towns of India (youth in particular from North East of India have made deep inroads in this segment)

• Allied service providers like packaging, transportation, courier, fabrication, painting, poster making, band-baja (entertainment on social occasions), hoarding, banner and statutes erection etc.

There are many more such creative jobs which can attract youth and have the potential to absorb them in big numbers. But all this can and must be done in an industry-driven manner, as I have tried quite successfully in my previous stints with Asian Heritage Foundation (JIYO! project), Ministry of Panchayati Raj (Rural Business Hubs project) and DPIP (District Poverty Alleviation Project) implemented by Government of Rajasthan. In each of these projects among other things we roped in private sector both as a product champion and a catalyst as we gave them a free hand to devise curriculum, impart training through their own experts, validate and certify such trainings and run real time pilots in their own units on 'on the job training' basis. No wonder, we were able to make a real dent on the informal market economy by doing so, albeit in a limited manner as mandated by each of the above donor driven projects! Hemantha Kumar Pamarthy, Independent Consultant, Chennai Following is my response on the questions raised in the query: How can we extend training opportunities to reach out rural areas? (should more public training institutions be built in rural areas? Would working with non-formal providers [e.g. rural area based community organizations, or NGOS] be a solution? How about mobile or technology solutions?) Very often all trainings are imparted on a "Supply" mode rather than the desired "Demand" orientation. First thing needed should be to enumerate interests in the village and then the existing capabilities and extend programmes accordingly. Given the proximity of the rural areas to the urban areas and the exposure to urban systems, the methodology could be decided. Yet, I feel nothing like in-person training to begin with. investing in Public Institutions for training, especially spending huge amounts, need to be deferred at least till one or two batches of training is done. Working with non-formal providers like RCBOs (Rural Community based Organizations) is not a bad idea at all provided the RCBOs have the required capacity. If the local facilitators at the village level are good motivators, certainly technology could be used. Else, the good old Teacher-Student system needs to be followed. What kinds of skills are needed to support the development of rural communities and economy? Literacy is still an issue in many countries (I am exposed to not only India but also to Cambodia and Laos PDR where in rural areas Literacy continues to be an issue). In addition they should certainly be taught not only the skills connected with the traditional craft, agricultural trades but most importantly the marketing aspects to make them an important part of the supply chain. What are measures to encourage women, young people and disadvantaged groups in rural areas to take up training?

For encouraging women, Gender training is essential first for Men in the families and then to the women showing demonstrable examples of what the women can achieve if they are acquiring the skills. Young people normally would be interested in acquiring the skills initially but the challenge is to sustain their interest throughout the programme. Given the restlessness of the youth, the programmes should be interspersed with examples and success stories. In countries like India it indeed could be a challenge to train the disadvantaged groups as they shy away due to discrimination. Either discrimination in the class should be strictly avoided or special classes be conducted for them separately. This could turn out to be costly though. What are the key success factors for improving access to skills training in rural areas? Nothing like demonstrating earlier success stories through relating and exposing. What are some good examples of how training services are delivering formally recognised skills in rural areas (e.g. mobile training schemes, peer training approaches, etc.)? While I was working with Hand in Hand India in Tamil Nadu, India, we were training the rural and semi-urban youth as part of executing a Corporate Social Responsibility Programme. We initially surveyed the area and checked the interests of the youth and embarked on finding the suitable trainers for the same. Ultimately we had trained the youth in programmes like Mobile Phone Servicing and Maintaining, Motorized two-wheeler servicing, Refrigeration, Dress making, etc. These programmes were able to give livelihoods to almost 80-85% of the participants and a few of them took up jobs too. How can skills training in rural areas lead to better and advanced skills for the beneficiaries? Yes, it can if the right thrust is created. If a particular skill is taught in a rudimentary way, once a job is taken up or an enterprise is set-up it might be felt that advancement is required which induces the beneficiaries to take up advanced skill trainings. But in reality this happens rarely as in most cases, the rural persons need to be told as to what they need to do. Nirmallya Mandal, MART, Bhubaneswar We are happy to see the issue of rural skilling being debated on Solution Exchange, Work and Employment Community platform. Rural Skilling from the Indian context needs a serious attention with contemporary solution. Some of the startling facts about the rural economic scenario are: • Almost 100 million people depending on agriculture are likely to move non-formal sector. In

rural the share of service sector is around 46% and it is rapidly growing • Role of women is increasing in agriculture, even in post harvesting areas • There has been a huge growth of small towns (around 7800) which are catering to around

80 to 100 villages in their respective catchments. Over and above there is a growing local economy poised to be exploited in these localities

With this background we would like to share our specific experience on some of your questions: How can we extend training opportunities to reach out rural areas? (should more public training institutions be built in rural areas? Would working with non-formal providers [e.g. rural area based community organizations, or NGOS] be a solution? How about mobile or technology solutions?)

The need for creating more training institutes in rural areas cannot be undermined. NGOs which have very specialized focus on agriculture and allied sectors can be useful in providing and/or creating training infrastructure. However the need for making the training services professionalized, NGOs can tie up with professional agencies to create modules, pedagogy and assessment. This would lead to delivering training at an affordable price. In addition there is a need to create an appropriate strategy for each rural catchment, which is completely missing at this point of time. What kinds of skills are needed to support the development of rural communities and economy? There is a need to assess the local economy in a more scientific and systematic manner. We have been observing that trades are selected randomly based on the competency of Training Institutes (TIs) instead of seeing what would be of maximum needs as far as the communities in the catchment concerned. Also the viability of each of the potential trades needs to assess to see if apart from skill, there is potential market and support services available for these trades. In our experience, one should prioritize 5-7 major skills which would cater to maximum number of people in the catchment. MART has developed a very comprehensive manual called 3M Approach which has been used by many NGO and bilateral programs and leading agencies like National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) etc. There is a need to focus on two sets of training. As per our experience, one set of people who are already pursuing the occupation in some form or other and who are entering into a new trade. Each segment requires different set of training. Over and above, exposure to market (rural haats and wholesale markets) and interaction with best practitioners (in the locality who is running the same business more efficiently) are two most effective ways to provide build capacity of rural people. Therefore as mentioned by you, one needs to move away from only a classroom based training approach to more handholding based approach. What are measures to encourage women, young people and disadvantaged groups in rural areas to take up training? Mobilizing people in rural areas for training is the biggest challenge. Couple of things which has worked for us are • Catchment of training centre should not be more than 20 to 25 kms • Flexibility in timing of the training • Rural people value certificate to which they can relate. An authentication by government

body is valued most If women are to be targeted, then the training should directly link to enhancing their current income. No standalone training would work. Training has to be part of a package of backward and forward linkages. What are the key success factors for improving access to skills training in rural areas? • Promote more entrepreneurs at the local level attached to the subjects of trainings so that

they can generate more local level and sustainable employment • Standardize training courses and modules through certification and accreditation for better

acceptability. Local adjustments are always possible under a large standardized training format.

• Promote, in a mission mode - Training of Trainers (ToTs) - not only for better technical knowledge but also on teaching and soft skills and motivational inputs for trainers to take up training as a respectable profession. The need for ToT is enormous in rural areas.

• Market based and value chain based course modules need to be developed which will actually translate into additional income for the youth/trainee. Thus all trainings should have a feasible and financially viable business plan and should be looked upon as an investment by the trainee with clear returns in the long run.

What are some good examples of how training services are delivering formally recognised skills in rural areas (e.g. mobile training schemes, peer training approaches, etc.)? • As mentioned above exposure, interactions with market players • Intense interface with the local best practitioners • Audio visuals What are good examples of how agricultural extension services have been integrated with formal skills training programs to deliver nationally recognized training to farmers and farm workers? This is a big gap in current training ecosystem. There is a need to create certified courses on para professionals for various agriculture/horticulture extension services including dairy, goat rearing and fishery. This has to link with some leading schemes. We are currently motivating more than 100 farmers to avail loan from Banks for cultivating off season vegetables. However the loan has to integrate with proper training and forwards linkage. Any training that could address this would be of great value. How can skills training in rural areas lead to better and advanced skills for the beneficiaries? I am sure the above points would lead to better and advanced skills for rural people. Pooja Gianchandani, Policy & Communication Group (PCG) and Corporate Engagement Group, IL & FS Education and Technology Services Limited (IETS), New Delhi The issue highlighted in this query is of utmost relevance and needs serious thinking leading to a blueprint for implementation. Three most important stakeholders of the skills and livelihoods issue – Youth, State and Industry – each get severely impacted if skills development is not integrated and implemented well. The query aptly highlights that issues of Access, Affordability and Quality limit the scalability of skill development not only in India, but several other developing and now developed countries. As IL&FS Skills, we are working in some of the most difficult geographies, impacting several different groups in building what we call the “Education, Employability and Employment” highway. In our journey of skilling more than 2, 00,000 people, we have gained useful insights and experiences. Keeping in context the questions asked, some of which are not only pertinent and also an urgency, am sharing some experiences based examples, solutions and best practices for the group below: A. Extending skills training in rural areas – Focus Demand side vs Supply side: Whenever we talk of scalability and accessibility of skills for the rural citizen, expansion of infrastructure and access points, (i.e. strengthen the supply side) seems logical and needed. Essential as this may be, an important question needs to be answered first: If skilling capacity in rural areas was to be increased, where are the jobs? The negligible presence of industry, limited work opportunity other than under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), low minimum wages and slow growth prospects within the agriculture and manufacturing sectors become a deterrent to acceptance of skills based training amongst youth. Therefore, even before we plan to upgrade the existing infrastructure, a well

thought approach on opening career opportunities – both through jobs and self employment needs to be adopted. • With a conscious focus on demand side, the local industry – both MSME, SME and SSI – have

to be engaged in determining the jobs available to ensure training is offered in the most relevant sectors

• Industry may also be linked to the rural areas i.e. the source of migration, which will ensure that workers are prepared in advance for the nuances of the workplace.

• Within the agri and allied sectors, jobs are cyclical in nature plus often offer limited levels of progression to the professionals. The formation of the agri sector skills council will sure address the issue of lateral movement for the trainee and provide much needed intelligence on offering packaged training to learners so that they can continue with decent work in lean season as well. Again the sector being highly unorganized will have to be pumped up.

B. Strengthening supply of skilled workers in rural India: If 500 million is the national target, then we need to train somewhere around 1,40,000 per DAY! I need not highlight the current capacity of the country as a whole, but a deep thought needs to be given towards adding up the quantity with quality. So, it is absolutely important that public institutions in rural areas are engaged and upgraded to offer skills programs in a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) mode. Himayat, for example is one such scheme of the Government of India (GoI), to promote localized skilling. Himayat is a placement linked skill development initiative for training and placement of one lakh youth Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) in next 5 years. It is a part of the Skill Empowerment and Employment scheme of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The project envisions support for the youth of J&K by providing them vocational training linked to placement in various sectors like IT, Customer Service & Sales and Hospitality. Though still in its early stages, this scheme has helped set up training touch points in rural districts allowing many young trainees gain employability and access to jobs. The strength of the scheme is that while it decentralizes the benefits of the program, it uses an aggregate model for implementation. Given the socio – economic- political situation of the state of J&K, this scheme addresses both access and mobility issues for young boys and girls. There are many compelling stories of success, be it the case of Rubina Bano from Sopor, Parveena Maqbool from Baramulla C. Encouraging women, youth and disadvantaged groups in rural areas: Our experience of implementing PARVAAZ – a GoI program for minority communities – gives us immense insight on learner motivation and participation. Parvaaz is a pilot program on "Comprehensive Skills and Education Program for Rural BPL Minority Youth", an initiative of Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), GoI. The main objective of this programme is to mainstream the minority BPL youth of the country by empowering them with education, skills and employment. It is geared towards helping the learners attain minimal education required for employability and also upgrading the necessary skills needed to step into a new world thereby graduate into the next phase of their lives. It is specifically designed to provide a continuum based learning on a graded curriculum ensuring quality of education for minority youth school drop-outs/left-outs. Some of the key learning’s from the experiences which have helped us mould the programs are as follows: • Engage Parents • Counseling at source • Define Job Linkages at initiation of the program • Holistic Skills Development program • Duration of skills programs have to be small and realistic • Opinion leaders play an influential role in choice of skilling program D. Define realistic tangibles and incentives for stakeholders for success: It is not that the skilling program in our country suffers from lack of stakeholder interest. As a country we

have moved fastest in setting up a target, defining a policy, strategizing implementation and making a start. The disconnect however exists at the level of incentivizing skills programs for the stakeholders: • Industry: The Empowering India report launched in 2011 identified 31 key challenges to

setting up a business in India. Couple it will lack of proper infrastructure and state specific challenges, opening up of factories and/or business units in rural India is an uphill task. Unless that process is smoothened out, non-availability of vacancies in rural areas and challenges of migration shall continue. There is very little incentive left for industry to participate in skilling India, other than self motivation and immediate demand of manpower.

• Training Provider: One of the key tangibles and measurable of skill training is placement and retention of learner, therefore focus is being put linking skills supply chain with this. Whereas this works well for now, the pertinent question is - will we have 500mn vacancies in next 10 years? Since 97% of our economy is unorganized sector, the tangible of skills training will have to be linked to self employment. A shikarawala in Srinagar requires employability skills as much as the young boy working in retail store, but will never get an appointment letter. In this scenario, a large number of such professions shall stay outside the gamut of delivery via the supply side being created. We are already hit by the “white collar” job syndrome that reduces footfalls in technical and agriculture training programs. Skills for rural areas will have to be linked to self employment and it is only then that large scale intervention spanning various employability and livelihood programs will be possible.

• Above all, Learner: Expectations of a rural learner vis a vis his urban counterpart are different. Skills have to be incentivized for the learner in a rural area through recognition of prior learning and matching right aspiration with right aptitude. The skills proposition for engaging has to be Hi-Tech and Hi – Touch!

In summary, the focus for skills in rural development has to be on recognition of informal learning, engagement of the MSME and SME sector for local jobs that allow candidates an opportunity to learn while they earn and lastly, recognize self employment as an end tangible of skill based training. Please find our newsletter here. Ashok Kumar Sinha, Independent Consultant, New Delhi I agree with the note of Preeti Maheshwari - I have also implemented Special Project (SGSY) supported by Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) in Bihar. It was a Pilot Project. I have gained experiences in employability and skill training programme. I have implemented this programme at block office premises as a strategy in support with district office – I have shared about training programme with development service providers / line department functionaries for their support in identification of potential candidates and motivated them for attending the training programme – we have also developed leaflets for mobilizing candidates for the skill training programme in Apparel Sector. Potential beneficiaries have many apprehensions regarding the government sponsored programmes and when it comes free for the Below Poverty Line (BPL) candidates - expectation become much higher - they join the training programme but drop out rate is even higher. The candidates take these opportunities as short term “experience” opportunities and not as long term career opportunities. Employers, however look for long time commitment. What extra we are offering to potential candidates matters a lot. Potential candidate as well as its peers group is exposed to cities and have direct access to job opportunities in Apparel and other sectors in different part of the country. Many candidates are directly visiting the industry and

finding a job for themselves on their own. But, when we sent them after completion of training than their mindset suddenly changed and they start suspecting the intervention. They also started to talk about their suspicions regarding us. It created difficulties in mobilizing trainees for the next batch as candidates started avoiding the training programmes. So for ensuring continuity in the programme, one has to be very clear in messaging about the prospects and placement links of the skill-training programme. One should be also clear about the training stream. If we start hiding the information with the candidates for fulfilling targets and getting more margin of benefits then things become more difficult to handle. Placement linked programmes can only be handled with business oriented mindsets. NGOs representatives sometime face difficulties in managing human aspects. Though NGOs are coming forward to support in identification of potential candidates for the skill training programmes, it is still not very effective as per my experience. Problems related to placement are likely to affect the mobilization of potential candidates in the area in which the NGOs work. Job to distance cities in different living environment is always difficult for the candidates to adjust to, more so for women candidates. So the skill training programme should be planned keeping in mind the need to help the candidates find jobs close to where they live. So, focus should be also given on self-employability in the skill training programme. We all have to also learn from the past skill training programme of Government – Training of Rural Youth for Self-Employment (TRYSEM), Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (to facilitate access for poor women to employment, skill up gradation, training credit and other support service), Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP) etc, which all further merged into Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) earlier. District Industry Centre, Rajeev Gandhi Udyami Mitra Yojna, Prime Minister Rojgar Yojna, are all skill training and entrepreneur development programme for addressing the livelihood aspect – how one can do convergence with these existing schemes – this is also very important for the promotion of skill development in the country. Quality control mechanism of National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT) is needed now – trades are very tempting but job linkages are very difficult for examples nursing course. Today NCVT is very much functional in different part of India but it functionality and results are not very encouraging. Revival of Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) and its modification in current situations is also needed – Number of ITIs and NCVT centers are increasing so one can easily use the platform / infrastructure of ITI / NCVT centre for providing skill training programme. In rural context, skill-training programme should plan both for job employability & self-employability and choice should be given to trainees. In the state of Bihar - The Bihar Mahadalit Vikas Mission (BMVM) is running various vocational courses in the districts of Bihar for Mahadalit Youths under Dasharath Manjhi Kaushal Vikas Yojana – there are different trades - Waiter in Hotels / Restaurant etc. Media and Entertainment Industry, Motor Driving, Mechanic (Agricultural Machinery including Tractor, Diesel Pump set etc.), IT/IT and communication Technology, Art & Craft articles (Jute, Coir and Bamboo Handicrafts, Soft toys making etc, Telephone and Mobile Set repairing, Photography / Videography, Beauty Culture and Hair Dressing and related trades for both Male and Female, Draftsman (Auto CAD, 3D Max, CATIA etc.), Laundry dyeing and drycleaners, Tailoring and Embroidery, Domestic Helper, Medical Laboratory Technician, Dressing (Surgical), ECG / X-ray Technician, Medical and Nursing/ Bed side, Attendant, Computer Accounting, Electrical Household wiring, Hospitality & Solid Waste Management, Security Guards, Construction Site Support Supervisor, Telephone and Mobile Set repairing - This clearly indicates that all comprehensive trades was available for the training but quality training, quality placement and continuity in job

is very challenging for the implementing agencies – but social background and educational level of trainees sometime mismatch with the training programme – so selection of trainees as per their background / interest also matters in this skill training programme and above all timely monitoring and evaluation of these kind of programme is also needed. Here I would like to conclude by stating that real needs assessment and interest of trainees is very much needed in case of skill training programme. It should not be forced programme for the trainees for meeting targets in numbers like Special SGSY. Course should also have components of soft skills and basic compulsory training / skills. L. D. Kala, Science Technology and Development Initiative (STAD), New Delhi (response 2) In continuation of my previous response, I hereby continue with the issues that you’ve invited thoughts upon: How can we extend training opportunities to reach out rural areas? (should more public training institutions be built in rural areas? Would working with non-formal providers [e.g. rural area based community organizations, or NGOS] be a solution? How about mobile or technology solutions?) Rural population has problems of confidence in the skill based courses. They usually also have problems of finances to pay for a good course. Hence to course should assure them of a job and the course fees should not be exorbitantly high from their payment capacities. This also means that mere providing skill training opportunities would not work. We need to augment these efforts with systemic enabling framework, i.e., promoting systemic infrastructure so that if trainees want to go for self employment, they have all the recognition and support as the erstwhile Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) system in India has. For creating job opportunities, Government and NGOs together should create framework, institutions, production units, etc., to promote jobs and productivity in a region, which may be based on local traditional skills etc. What kinds of skills are needed to support the development of rural communities and economy? We need a mix of traditional (traditionally imparted in industrial trainings) skills as have been going on as well as skills that augment their traditional working. So far traditional vocations have not been much emphasized. This is the key to retain trained youths in their native place/regions. What are measures to encourage women, young people and disadvantaged groups in rural areas to take up training? This can be done by taking trainers to them. Be a part of them and their working. Provide them new ideas of income augmentation and monitor and support them constantly. Only NGOs can do it. Governmental organizations have demonstratively failed to achieve this. What are the key success factors for improving access to skills training in rural areas? The key success factors are to imbibe confidence in the population that we sincerely mean business. We are not just there for spending money from Government (this thought has gone deep that people come here to spend Government money and are not serious). The trainers should preferably be well aware of local needs and circumstances. Good examples of success should be created. Patience is required. Government interventions lack patience.

What are some good examples of how training services are delivering formally recognised skills in rural areas (e.g. mobile training schemes, peer training approaches, etc.)? Though I can not provide such examples now but any training exercise that can link them with income augmentation or jobs would be a good example. Sometimes I feel on-the-job training is the best example. Even in traditional vocations, the rural youths can be taken on internships and then asked to follow the systems devised in the training module. For example in agro based skills, the trainee can be asked to learn and at the same time demonstrate the concept actually by working in his own fields. Ask him to develop linkages with the supply chain and provide him support for all this. This can be done not just for one individual but for the entire group taken for the training. Sridhar Kolluru, Andhra Pradesh Mahila Abhivruddhi Society (APMAS), Hyderabad Prima-fa'cie, we all must understand that the skill building activity is an internal aspect of every human being. Every one must have the inner zeal and continuous thinking to upgrade, to develop. Each one must continually practice to strengthen their knowledge, skill to sustain themselves. We as development professionals only need to ignite that kind of spirit within and see that ignited minds continue further, to strive forward in understanding the complex world around us. In this era of information technology, there is no dearth of information or knowledge related to a particular issue. First let us not think that we are trying to build the capacities of others, rather think that we are developing our own skills and capacities by working with others. In order to achieve the best results, we need to get involved so deeply with the activity by understanding their core issues that each target group is facing. How does one translate their understanding to the primary stakeholders (who are well experienced in their field) and help them with solutions to address them (by combining the traditional know how and the intellectual, advanced knowledge that one has) that suits the condition. Training programs are only one means by which we try to improve knowledge and skills of individuals. An additional component - hand holding - is highly essential to take the knowledge and skill further. One could observe the inadequate efforts through several of the organizations, individuals and institutions that have not fulfilled their objectives optimally, in delivering and seeing the positive and sustainable results. It is just because, we are not touching the core - i.e., the inherent attitude and behavior of the person that needs to think and decide for him/herself. We need to have several brainstorming sessions (open ended) to reach a conclusion as to how to achieve the specific objectives. The brainstorming sessions would help the communities and the facilitators to understand several other broad parameters that need specific attention in sustaining the development process. There may be several other external factors that would contribute and counter contribute to the results that we initially came up with. For this to be understood, one has to provoke introspection in individuals to get appropriate solutions. Though it is a different approach compared to the present, I am sure it definitely draws the attention of few who would think differently. For sure, one need to adopt non-formal techniques, tools to impart any kind of knowledge, skill along with hand-holding support for some time. The present development sector needs hard core, committed professionals to do this job rather than the management professionals, who would do just training. Of course, the management principles could be imparted among the hard core professionals to be effective, time-bound in attaining the results.

There is a definite attention required to be put on the present younger generations to involve them with the farm and allied sectors to improve rural economy. They must be encouraged to take up innovations by providing necessary support and incentive mechanism as well as recognize them as change makers. An example that one can quote from Andhra Pradesh could be promotion of village activists to undertake and promote Community Managed Sustainable Agriculture (CMSA) by nurturing, developing few village youth in organizing farmer field schools (FFS) and facilitating the process with necessitated hand holding services and for providing needful extension services. Farmer would be willing, to listen and learn to the neighboring farmer and thus scalability chances would increase. It is essential to think through the pre-production and post-production value chain that supports the production cycle in the farming system. This enhances several opportunities for the women and youth in rural areas to get engaged in productive work and thus secure livelihoods. Necessary infrastructure development is an essential part of this to flourish the rural economy and ensure on sustainable rural livelihoods. Some of the initiatives that were undertaken by Self Reliant Initiatives through Joint Action (SRIJAN), Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN), Community Development Foundation (CDF), Aga Khan Rural Support Programme, India (AKRSP-I) in bringing the farming communities together by developing institutional mechanism and thus act as producer cooperatives, producer companies, must help us to consider their success elements in terms of procurement, marketing the products etc. These efforts would help them to increased space for strengthening interface between various organizations and institutions to get linked, help mutually and benefit. Further, there are several initiatives that were floated in the name of community radio system by several NGOs and government system, village resource centers by NRSA to broad cast various programs related to health, agriculture and livelihoods, kisan help / service centers that were established across the states and online information services being provided by digital green, many audio-visuals that are available could be used as means and tools to reach out better. However, such information must reach the rural communities with necessary infrastructure developed and provided to them for effective use. Some such initiatives were also taken up through various national level schemes like National Initiative on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA), National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP), Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) etc., by establishing few farmer information centers, from which one can learn the positive impacts and streamline the efforts for improvements. Let us hope to continue the efforts with a different approach and dimensions that would enrich the process, sustain the same. Abdul Rahman Ilyas, IKP Centre for Advancement in Agricultural Practice (ICAAP), Chennai And Tina, training of trainers is still a grey area, though developments institutions are spending millions in trainings which i would say draining funds for the reason that the beneficiaries are often not the right ones, one of the reasons being disconnect from the ngo implementing such trainings and the grass root locations. Hence we strongly feel it is better invest in strengthening extension intermediaries at the grass root level and consistently train and motivate the to become leaders who would mantle to train rural youth. Such an effort would be an investment. Manjusha Doshi, Christian Children's Fund (CCF-India), Udaipur, Rajasthan A feasilibility study on required employability skills (inclusive of self employability) in the given region prior to introducing of any skill training would help. So the trainings can be need based.

Pulkesh Pulak, Development Professional, Patna, Bihar I may sound a bit different but I have been thinking towards this whole skill training programmes differently. I would like to know what "skills" are we talking about. The Indian rural population is dominantly agrarian in nature. Do we here think that agricultural practices need no "skills". To me these so called skill training programmes are like - training a Hindi speaking guy to speak French or any other foreign language by labeling them unskilled in French. I have completed my Master's in development studies and during the course I had the opportunity to meet the placed students of such skill training programmes. They were working for a meagre amount of 3k/month in average that too not in adherence of proper labour laws. And then we are talking of most working population to be available in India for 2020...do we want our young workforce to be labourers in mining factories or other factories. Can't we provide a better opportunity? These are some questions which I decided to share in this community. Nani Saikia, Social Action for Appropriate Transformation and Advancement in Rural Areas (SATRA), Assam I am an NGO activists based in rural areas of Assam and involved with this sector since 1997> Now I am leading an NGO call SATRA (Social Action for Appropriate Transformation and Advancement in Rural Areas). Income generation for rural poor is the main objectives of my organization. We organized series of skill development training programmes for rural youth with a view to create self employment. Some of the skill programmes are Handicraft (Cane and Bamboo), Handloom, mobile phone repair, bike repair, product making from water hyacinth, raising nursery etc. Also we organized some trainings like scientific management of piggary, dairy, goatry, poulty etc. The programmes were sponsored by Government agencies. After those training programmes I found that most of the skill training programmes are not fruitful as the duration of the programme is very short. On the other hand, there is no other support like capital and market. So the skill programmes basically in non farm sectors are failure. But farm sector training programme seemed beneficial as most of the rural people are already associated with those activities. I feel it is important to focus on skill training programme on farm sector with the support of capital as well as marketing at least for two years through local NGOs, so that we may expect proper benefit of skill training. Scaling up the farm sector we may establish producer cooperative model through which rural people may get more benefit, instead having skill on non farm activities which doesn’t ensure good income. Anita Sharma, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), New Delhi Very interesting topic and quite exciting discussion points have emerged. It is a known fact that rural India does not have adequate ad appropriate training institutions. Reasons are plenty - • Unwillingness of well trained instructors to work in rural areas, leading to 2nd and 3rd grade

trainers who then create poor quality of trained youth, who are then not wanted by industry and neither are fit enough to start their own enterprises.

• Mismatch of training provided and market demand - as has been highlighted by many already.

• There are many offers for micro- enterprise development promoted through self help group and many NGOs. But the quality of their inputs is not to the mark. The youth remain

engaged till there is handholding, but soon after the same is withdrawn, the ventures fail. Of course one reason is poor training. The other reasons are also aspects like inappropriate preparation, and lack of quality concerns

• NGOs and Trainers at rural level are normally not connected with ground realities - they do not want to explore what are the possibilities of employment in the area and what could be the possibilities of sustainable livelihood in the area. they rather go with ready made solutions and try to implement the same without realizing that they do more harm in the region than any benefit.

Mahtab Bamji, Dangoria Charitable Trust, Hyderabad The issue of mismatch between skills required and our education system in rural areas is of concern. Even the rural people ( very backward tribal situation is different) prefer to get degrees like BA, B Com and even B.Sc, rather than learn skills in rural polytechnics. This requires change of mindset. Appropriate skills like farming for better productivity in environment- friendly manner, homestead production of horticulture, poultry, dairy etc, for household food and nutrition security and artisan skills through good rural polytechnics is the need of the hour to create right type of human resource. School education is a must. Even in schools some of these subjects can be taught. Computer literacy is no longer a luxury. It should be part of all training programmes. Krittika Bhatt, Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages Private Limited, Western Uttar Pradesh Rural skills should certainly be in sync with the locally available opportunities. Imparting vocational/skill development training prepares the candidate for jobs outside his village/area further the gross income earned after he gets the job is not sufficient to sustain his interest. Selective training and skills based on sustainable rural system should be focused. Relevant training to produce locally manufactured commodity for rural consumption could be imparted. This would substantially reduce the need to depend on market forces spreading wings to rural areas and rural folk would meet their daily commodity demands at much cheaper rates thereby saving money and also contributing to local entrepreneurship. Ashim Kumar Das, North Eastern Development Finance (NEDFi) Corporation Limited, Guwahati, Assam We are based in the North Eastern Part of India. I am sharing in the attached file. Our experience in promoting water hyacinth craft as a means to achieve sustainable livelihood and women’s empowerment in the rural areas is given in the attached file. Jawahar R. M. P., Tiruchirapalli Regional Engineering College – Science and Technology Entrepreneurs Park (TREC-STEP), Tamil Nadu Here is another idea we are trying to work on and find a suitable partner for support. Incubating Rural Business Process Outsourcing (BPOs) with training women on ICT areas. • The potential for rural connectivity to knowledge economy: As per the industry study of the

Indian BPO industry (NASSCOM Strategic Review 2012), as a proportion of national GDP, the Indian BPO sector revenues have grown from 1.2% in 1998 to 7.5% in 2012. Its share of total Indian Exports increased from less than 4% in 1998 to about 25% in 2012. The upbeat domestic IT-BPO trend will continue in financial year 2012 as the industry is expected to grow at 13 to 16%. IT BPO exports is expected to grow 11 to 14% in financial year 2013,

inspite of global economic slow down. So, IT BPO sector is the fast track and most suitable area to place the rural women from marginalized and most vulnerable sections to grow and to prosper.

• The proposal for wealth creation through training and empowerment actions: A comprehensive package of training rural women, promoting rural BPOs through Rural BPO incubators with all connectivity and shareable facilities, employing the trained women in BPO tasks, and providing visibility to them as models for others simultaneously scaling up incubation and accelerated growth of new ventures will be a very effective development initiative.

• The catchment area, target group and building the ground swell: It is important that the first stage output of trained women from the target group, has to be immediately employed in the new business venture to be promoted by PPP-ICT-BPO initiatives of the anchor companies. These early success shall also ensure great ground swell for more rural ICT BPO companies to usher in, encouraged by the success stories. Besides this another 10000 to 12000 rural women at home has to be accessed in a specific geographic location, say a district, and provided ICT awareness by trained ICT people for new exposure and potential for growth and knowledge. This will prove to be the fertile nurseries for ICT women professionals for these new rural BPOs. With the Women Entrepreneurs Association (WEA) and District Small Scale Industries Association (DSSIA) continuously motivating women toward ICT led and ICT enhanced entrepreneurship more, these ICT engagements of rural women shall gather progressive momentum. A highly successful model of rural women’s empowerment, employment and wealth creation through ICT and spectacularly passing the baton to Governments, ICT market players and others to further leverage this through ICT Rural BPO park for women and other such initiatives is distinctly possible.

Jaspreet Singh, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Bengaluru I have done mechanical electronics from National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT) but it was a waste of my two years there. I was not able to find a suitable job. The reason was that there were fewer practicals in class. The little work on practicals was done on outdated technology and gadgets. My concern is why there is no arrangements of surprise social audits of NCVT affiliated institutes? There must be the mechanism for doing so and very strict action must be taken if found guilty. All our money, efforts, resources, infrastructure etc. is a waste if we are not able to achieve the ideal outcomes of such training. Moreover, we must understand that the real situation in rural areas is that most of the people don’t have access of electricity, sanitation, drinking water and food. Following are the solutions for various problems faced by rural India:- o Electricity - We can use Small Biogas Plants, Windmill and Solar Plants in each village for

generating own electricity and excess electricity can be sold to National Power Grid. o Food - We can encourage rural people to go for organic farming so that can produce 10%-

20% of fruits and vegetables for own and family. Niladri Sekhor Mukherjee, Micro Enterprise & Sustainable Project (MESP), Deoghar, Jharkhand From my experience in Jharkhand and Bengal, I have found that there is a mismatch of type of training given and the type of skilled people that are required in the market. Basically in Santhal Pargana region of Jharkhand, large scale training under SGSY program are provided to women SHG members. Quality of training is bad. The main purpose of these trainings is to spend the earmarked money. Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY), focused on urban areas has not been implemented yet in the State. During 2012, State Government tried to start it, but vested interest groups especially nodal agencies (Municipalities and Corporations) have not taken initiative to launch it. Officers in the nodal agencies are not bothered about initiating the

trainings. Though the state Government recruited some reputed organizations for imparting training under this scheme. In our area since agriculture is non-remunerative, we have to focus on allied activities and non farm sector. As far as my perception thrusts should be the following: • Identify the local livelihood opportunity in the area/ neighbouring areas • Assess the market demand and arrange to supply that amount • Contact with the companies, to know the type of demand of their human resources and

quantity and impart training accordingly. We are making contact with a carpet manufacturing company who will impart training to 50 SHG members – who will make the carpet and company will buy back it.

• Training and marketing are the two main areas for promotion of sustainable rural livelihoods. • There is huge scope for allied sector for livelihood promotion through trainings in poultry,

pisciculture, goatery and dairy. We need para vets who can charge for their services. Micro Enterprise and Sustainable Project (MESP) is going to undertake a program to increase skilled employment in the pisciculture sector in West Bengal. R. K. Mission, Don Bosco are the institutions preparing para vets who are providing services to rural areas.

• There is huge scope in hospitality sector and for laboratory based technicians, plumbers, electricians, etc.

• Identify suitable NGOs for training J. P. Maithani, Alaknanda Ghaati Shilpi Federation (Aagaas Federation), Chamoli, Uttarakhand Our organization - AAGAAS FEDERATION - is working in the central Himalayan region of Uttarakhand since 1999. I would like to mention that in the Hilly region or even in plains - the institutions which is well known for the skill up gradation is - Local VOs and NGOs, Polytechnic and ITI- are the main. The skills which are needed to be upgraded are those of the artisans and craft persons - and those who are involved in the local resource based employment generation- such as - Self Help Groups involved in production of - fruit processing and preservation, off seasonal vegetable cultivation and processing, cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants, mushroom cultivation, making of organic compost, production and processing and carding of natural fibers. But we are lacking the institutions which can provide long term training of enterprise development to these groups. On the other hand the ITI and Polytechnics even local engineering colleges are just providing training to the local youths are in civil, electrical, electronics, automobile engineering only- and in this situation the local youths are forced to migrate from the hilly areas to the urban plains or cities in search of the employment. The need of the area is: • Provision of training and skill upgradation program for local youths as per the local demand

and resources • Government and NGO programs address the issues of rural poor and marginalized which

should help them with an employment opportunity at local level and enterprise development. • ITI, Polytechnic should start the syllabus of local importance. Such as training - on

upgradation of watermills and they may be converted in to microhydel. • Training and skill related to Ecotourism, adventure sports to be upgraded in the Himalayan

region.  Nabajyoti Das, S. P. C. Management Services Private Limited, New Delhi Skill Development Trainings in rural areas need to be a high focused area in the years to come. In the South Asian context and more so in India the increased dependence on urban centers for livelihood has increased manifold in the last decade. This has resulted in an unusual pressure on

resources and infrastructures in urban areas whereas the rural infrastructure is mostly under utilized. Some of the quick thoughts from our consulting experience are as under: • Each of the State has to undertake a Skill Clustering Study in different regions. Some

states have already worked on this with a skill mapping document available • The training infrastructure and need can substantially vary from region to region depending

on the feasible employment opportunities available • Openness to use all agencies including private training companies, CBOs, NGOs who have the

necessary vision and capability to develop a region • Cluster Development Approach should be developed for each skill clusters • The training initiative in rural areas should align with Skill Cluster Development

approach. Training often conducted in rural areas remains ineffective as there is no link up with any measurable outcome or follow up.

• The training approach for a particular skill and particular region can be customized. For example some of the skills in farming, diary etc. are generic where content can be widely multiplied and content delivery can take help of technology like mobile, mix-media etc. Some of the skill training like textile, crafts etc. are specialized, where involvement of experts are necessary to find a consistent market for their produce. We have worked in a cluster development approach for a textile cluster in Haryana, where it found the entire region has high grade skills in weaving but the cluster of villages are reeling under poverty and unemployment now due to prevalence of power loom in their traditional skill area. In an individual effort, we approached IIT, Delhi to customize the products and organize training for the young weaver communities for better market acceptance, which they readily agreed to. I believe, there has to be an effort to involve national level higher institutions or experts to develop easily replicable content for training the rural youth and the training agencies has to develop a model for easily accessible to training to rural youth.

• Identify trainers from among the communities and organize Training for Trainers. • There has to be a mechanism for outcome based assessment of training with a laid down

process clear to training agency. Ravishwar Sinha, Development Professional, Patna Very interesting, thanks for the experiences. Very educative and very agreeable. Rural and urban opportunities should be equal-if not better. Many countries have achieved this. Secondly community supports such as schools, hospitals housing and community life should be better. Government should practice its preachings of decentralization. Skills are vital and that has been well elucidated. Ananya Bhattacharya, banglanatak dot com, Kolkata Our organization banglanatak dot com works for rural enterprise development. We would like to share our innovative and substantive model of development of eco systems for nurturing grass root creative enterprise centering traditional art skills offer new pathways of sustainable development in today’s globalised world. Across the world there are rural and indigenous communities rich in vibrant cultural skills and expressions. Unfortunately this cultural asset is not given cognizance in conventional skilling models. On the contrary the traditional training systems are fast disappearing, leading to loss of these skills. In India, rural non farm sector is weak in most areas. Uneducated rural poor lack employable skills and access to skill development opportunities. Conventional skilling programme treats rural uneducated people as pool of potential labor. Though many of the marginalized communities are

rich in art and craft there is no action to link these skills to developmental agenda and the traditional bearers are forced to choose options like daily labor. To address these factors, we started our initiative Art for Life in 2004. We started working with 3200 folk dancers, singers and painters in West Bengal (a state in eastern India). In 2011, the model was replicated with 1500 folk artists in the neighbouring state of Bihar. The Art for Life (AFL) model of professionalizing traditional cultural skills as livelihood skills has been proven on ground and demonstrates how culture can be a driver of development. The initiative addressed training in art skills and facilitating exchange and exposure for making the skills marketable, capacity building for running micro-enterprise at grass root and promotion of the rural cultural enterprise. The result is socioeconomic empowerment of the artist community. Average monthly income has increased in five years from 8$ to 60$ with 10% earning above 250$. Creation of micro-economies has not only changed identity from ‘unskilled daily labor’ to ‘artist’, it has led to the inclusion of the most marginalized in the development process and addressed non-monetary issues like sanitation, education, unsafe forced migration, women empowerment etc. None of the 5000 artists have migrated from village to city. Above 80% have toilet at home. They are ensuring that their children complete school education. In many cases, women are giving leadership. The process has also led to change in identity of the villages from backward rural areas to vibrant cultural tourism destinations. The villages of Baul and Fakiri singers and Patachitra painters in West Bengal have emerged as destinations for learning about heritage. Growth of cultural tourism addresses challenges posed by disparity of livelihood in the artist community. Not all the groups are equally talented and commercially successful. Still a limited number of opportunities do not allow all the artists groups to have the same level of market exposures. Disparity of income between the artist communities and the non-artist population living in the same village is also addressed as youth and women earn from tourism and hospitality services. By making traditional art skills a source of income generation, questions have been raised from anthropologists and historians about the danger of ‘commodification’ and alteration of art forms for the sake of commercialization. While these are valid concerns, it is also true that cultures will not survive unless the practitioners survive out of their own skills. Banglanatak dot com believes that the livelihood improvement and well-being of practitioners should take precedence over the concern to maintain the so-called ‘authentic art form’. Obliteration of varied art forms due to the poverty of practitioner is a far more serious issue than the modification of original style to match the contemporary market taste. Experience also tells that once the art practice thrives, even in a new modified style, interest for ‘original’ or ‘authentic’ form grows again. The globalised world offers new opportunities. Workshops with contemporary artists resulted in innovation by the folk artists themselves. • Cultural Skills → Enterprise → Economic Development • Strengthening of Culture → Identity → Owning development charters→ Impact on MDGs • Investment on Cultural Skills → Development of eco-system → Growth → Sustainable

Development Training Methodology: I would also like to share our experience of using innovative training methods based on Theatre in Development methodology. As we know conventional chalk and talk approach has its limitations and often the target groups lack formal education. Skill development training has to be experiential and participatory. Theatre in Development also offers scope for building communication skills and life skills using a variety of activities. To address enhancing access to skills in rural areas we thus recommend that

• Programmes need to invest in cultural skills with an aim to develop creative enterprise - training should include art skills training, business skills training, soft skills training and also provide support to create direct market linkage of the micro enterprises. Marketing strategy should include promotional and networking events at local as well regional/national levels. Village festivals helped in creating cultural destinations and thus use tourism for actual community empowerment instead of 'trickle down' effect where villagers are at best tourism labourers.

• In the second phase, skills training need to address developing social entrepreneurship addressing local business growth as well local development needs. The skill sectors may be sanitation, energy, health, education etc.

We need to be innovative and think differently. Continuing doing 'more' of 'what is being done' is not the answer. Akiko Sakamoto As you can see in the introductory page (of our e-discussion) and the background note, rural skills development is a challenging issue and many questions to be addressed. I am sure you have more questions as well to add to the list. May I start, however, by asking you to tackle the question of ‘outreach’, or how to extend/offer training opportunities to rural areas first? It is common that especially formal training providers tend to be located in the urban/semi-urban areas, and accessibility by rural communities to training opportunities is limited. How do we overcome this? What kinds of approaches, or schemes, have been tried to reach out rural areas? Would you like to share your experience or what you know, have heard? Look forward to hearing from you! Areeya Rojvithee (response 1) Have just known that you moved to Manila, Phillipines. Hope you enjoy your work there. Back to your question how to extend/offer training opportunities to rural areas first? According to my experiences worked with the rural communities in Thailand found that the effective strategies to extend training opportunities to rural area were to work with the rural communities or the organized groups of villagers such as the Rural Cooperatives of the Villages, the Village Committees or approached the Head of Villages to explain the objectives of your work, then asking for the structure of population in the village, proportion of men/women/ youth/ children, the ecology of the villages, the system of practical training that delivered to them, consulted them for the demand of training courses, the suitable time and duration of training, the economy of the villages, etc. After compiled all information then planned with them, let villagers participate since the beginning. The system of training especially in the remote rural area usually we sent Mobile Unit with suitable equipments, hand tools, materials, experience instructors who could teach and communicate with the villagers in their local languages, such as hill tribes villages in the up north of Thailand, villages in the down south of Thailand, people communicate in their own dialects so instructors were most important to transfer knowledge, skills to create understanding to trainees. Working with them since the beginning could stop drop out while training because we offered what they want.The success result of training was the application of the learned skills to produce and sell their products to increase their income and away from poverty. I have more information to share. Thank you for your kind attention. Dan Baffour-Awuah

Good morning everyone. I am glad I could be part of this discussion as I want to learn the perspective of rural skills development from Asia. Here in Africa, specifically Ghana, it is believed that about 80% of all basic skills are developed in the informal sector through informal apprenticeship. This informal apprenticeship takes place also in the rural areas and comprises of various trade areas, including welding and fabrication, auto mechanics, hair dressing, dress making, carpentry, masonry among others. The system has its advantages and disadvantages, but as most youth in the rural areas do not easily get access to formal technical and vocational schools basically due to access, the informal apprenticeship has become an effective way of skills development for the youth. The youth acquire the skills on the instructions of a master craftpersons for an average period of three years and on cost sharing basis. In most cases there is some sort of agreement, either on paper or verbal and the agreement stipulates the training period, responsibilities of the trainee and that of the trainer. One area of great weakness is the quality of training and its assessment. This is left with the Trade Association for the specific trade who does the assessment and issues a local certificate as certificate of participation. This kind of certificate cannot be used as a means of professional progression but meant to be used either to set up ones own business or employed within the trade area. I am now eager to hear from my colleagues at the other side of the globe. Sharif Faisal Some of the approaches and best practices to cater to the needs of the rural and remote populations are listed here: http://www.unevoc.unesco.org/t... Some factors to consider are: o Room and board (if training centre location is not commutable) o Flexible entry and exit opportunities (for marginalized groups who may not be able to commit

to skills training for too long at a time) o Labour market demand for the acquired skills (to avoid a case of workers without available

jobs) o Labour market supply of the provided skills (to avoid a case of some jobs with many potential

workers and some jobs with no available worker) o Hands on experience component so that trainees/graduates are workforce ready. o Consultation with employers. Skills training providers/administrators need to ensure that their

programs are reflective of the labour market demands their graduates are fully-equipped and prepared to fill jobs. Liaising with stakeholders, particularly employers, will help address these issues from both short-term and long-term perspectives

Community-based, short-term mobile trainings for rural populations are a good alternative, but many of the above considerations still apply. Purushothaman Pillai I am happy to take part in this e-discussion and incidentally, my draft thesis on training of workers (PhD) is ready, both together would in the first place provide space for improving myself & my thesis and its outcome for the benefit of workforce in general..

My exposure is mostly from Indian experience and this is most relevant due to large size population and due to large portion of workforce remaining unskilled with low productivity and practical-poverty.

Training Opportunity: One of my inquest is why in spite of working, the majority of workforce remain unskilled, although, we can explain through several factors including barriers of skill development, these are so important when we consider life long learning and continuous learning, and adult learning issues... my little experiment shows women from rural area from age of 24 to 50 (young mothers to grand mothers) responded to an ice-breaking training program and obtained a government certificate as assistant masons. But, they could not get suitable job to the newly acquired skills, employment market/industry is skewed, unfavorable to them/ women. My recommendation is that every workforce shall be trained at least for 15-days in a year and every year, year-after-year as part of life long learning and continuous learning. Learning/Teaching/Education/Skill Development shall not be seen as an end in itself, but its outcome productivity, enhanced income and so on. As we have Right To Education (RTE) as a constitutional right and this life long learning or skill development shall be seen as a natural extension of RTE.

I am also strongly convinced of Middleton and other's view of training on employment as the best method, training risk is eliminated as the skills developed can be easily realized as productive ends. I am also convinced that pre-training of youth or the unemployed shall fetch employment by addressing basic education and basic skill development, then further, year after year training. But the above two training situation requires employment or demand for skills with access for skills and jobs. Which leads to enough job for all or condition of full employment, in fact Middleton and others observe that lack of employment is the major issue than training/skill development itself. I am also tending to think in those line that job creation forms first priority, if there is enough demand for jobs and willing people to take up such jobs and as we have seen good response from ladies/mothers, skill development may not pose much problem, if we consider trainee centered training programs (a result of my thesis).

At macro level, I try to reflect where-all, we could have opportunity for job creation, which will lead to skill development, particularly for India: Still we have large needs at basic requirement of health, education and food security including sustainable development, I wonder whether we have saturated employment or its creation in these three major areas. Intuitively I would assign about 1/3rd of workforce to both work and skill develop and master providing of services (including production) at basic level.

I have just put my initial thoughts (based on my informal theory of full employment based on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs as a work or production function indicating scope for employment)..

The link to my draft thesis is < http://draftphdthesis.blogspot... >. I am planning to take active role/participation in this e-discussion.

Success and failures of my attempts - Sreact model training was partly successful incorporated experiential learning elements simulating informal on job hands on, looks very attractive.. Created Amithanallur Community College clustering few villages to take care of education and training needs of their subjects right from age of 3 to 60s started nicely but collapsed, but looks attractive. Took up teaching training engineering students as master trainers, lots of scope and fills the gap of skilled trainers. Attempted as an entrepreneur my ACTC combining computer and mason training but didn't work in my case. Yesterday read the ASHA health program, this looks to very similar to agricultural extension programs which Middleton and others praise. Perhaps we have to have such programs in other areas. The volunteers link and provide the support for transformation and revolution.

There is competition for training and skill development. My quick survey indicated that a semiskilled worker trained more than 100 new entrants whereas the skilled mason through informal means train hardly five to seven in their life time. My detailed survey indicates tension between skilled mason and unskilled female construction workers. However this requires more study. Our MNREG scheme is a beautiful one our rural women beneficiaries perhaps consider themselves as government employees although part time for 100 days in a year.. this should give the leverage.. skill develop and transform them government must be worried that once they get trained would ask better jobs and wages... apart from literacy numeracy can be trained on management economics job creation health running business and leadership.. we should proceed with the belief that there is job for all, freedom to work Arnauld de Nadaillac At first, good luck for your new position in Manila. For more experience on this subject, UNESCO has implemented a project in Laos for the development of Skills Development in provinces. It was based on setting up a network of local providers, building a database of local experts, rapid needs analysis in the villages and the definition of annual skills development plans under the provincial and district level. I am not sure now how is the situation. I remember one key point was to build and maintain this database of local specialists in construction, agriculture who could support training. I am not sure about the situation of this project now. Areeya Rojvithee (response 2) May I try to explain to you step by step as following: o The Thai government has strong policy on Decentralization Power to local Government. in

order to let them govern themselves, to solve problems and response demand of people on spot. They organized Committees on various levels from the grass roots level which is the Village, headed by head of village then extend the scope up to sub-District, District and Provincial Level.

o Government allocated budget to them considering by the mutual consulted projects plan of the Village Committee each year, the plan should be bottom up plan.. They have system to control the utilize of the budget.

o Department of Skill Development (DSD), Ministry of Labour has Skill Development Centers and Institutes in every provinces. Their main responsibility is to provide skill training relevant to the demand of people. In the remote area they have to bring their services to people by the Mobile Unit move from the Institute in that area.. The budget for training is from DSD. Also we use the temple, Masjid or school in the village to be the place of training.

o One example that I want to raise up is about One Tambon One Product (OTOP) of Thailand which is famous on generate income to local people in the village by let them working together in the form of Cooperative, Women Group etc. Villagers work together by first mutual analyze what they want to do in their village, the resource and raw material that available in the village, the indigenous wisdom of the area that should be transferred , then what kind of knowledge, skills and competencies that villagers need for working. Then they approach the suitable organization such as DSD, Non-formal Education Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Industry, Interior and Defense Ministry etc, to request for suitable instructors for training them. The work of line Ministries are integration approach and cross budget provided. In case DSD has budget but the training need of villagers should be trained by Ministry of Industry so DSD gives the money to Ministry of Industry to train people. The products of villagers included services sector such as Thai Herbal Medicines, Long- Stay services with chain micro businesses such as laundry, restaurant, bicycle renting, Thai traditional massage, Internet and phone services, etc. In

o each village there is mentor/advisor to support the wok of people. The training include the entrepreneurship, packaging, marketing, accounting, some of their products already exported abroad..

o Another good example was the project of Japan-ILO the EEOW project which was success implemented in the North and South of Thailand.

o The effective or ineffective depend on the controlling system of official in charge whether the project response to the policy of government or not.

Hope this information useful to you. Thank you. Radha I am very glad to be a part of this important discussion. There is no doubt that, government should give skill development training in rural areas. Types of training are depends on a various factors such as local resources, geographical condition, target group, etc. We have to a clear mapping before trainings. If we have a potentiality of farming, scientific agriculture training would be valuable. Sometimes non-traditional training also can effective. Target Group is also important factor of skill training. In context of Nepal, most of the male young people are migrating in abroad as well as urban areas. So, we have to give more emphasis to women. Paul Comyn Greetings all, I'd like to introduce myself as the senior skills specialist for South Asia and would firstly like to thanks Akiko and Tiina for their efforts in steering the discussion which I'll now pick up for the rest of the week. The request I have is for some good examples of mobile training from the region. It is often assumed by TVET policy makers that training organisations can develop mobile training units to reach out to communities with no training facilities - but these are expensive initiatives that may not offer quality outcomes. I hope you can share good examples of mobile training from the region and I look forward to your contributions! Purushothaman Pillai (response 2) Some of my startup hypothesis are - rural population have dual needs own consumption and employment, own consumption needs provide initial training from rural infrastructure projects; cost of training will have to be low or nil to reach large population; harnessing informal training, a major supply could be a desired route; many rural workers/mason indicate that they were inducted by engineers/supervisors in contrast to our earlier belief ( by traditional craftsmen); if we could train women, unskilled men could also be trained; social learning theory could explain more than expected results, as people learn by watching in spite of not receiving any formal training; training-mobile at or near work places give access, more and cheap training; not wasting of training jobs/products an element of traditional apprenticeship training or incidental training keep training cost and access effective; peer and community support boost training effectiveness; training should not be seen as an end in itself but as a means of life long development or progress. Paul Comyn (response 2) Thanks Purushothaman for your observations. The link with infrastructure development and skills is a good one to highlight as more often than not skills issues are not considered when planning unfolds. These sorts of large projects really present a unique opportunity to integrate and leverage skills in planning rather than it being an afterthought. The exclusion of skills training

from within the MNREGA scheme in India was, and still is, I think a missed opportunity. And what about mobile training - does anyone have some good examples to share? Areeya Rojvithee (response 3) Today is the last day of discussion which is interesting. I try to answer all 8 questions that were raised up by coordinator as following: How can we extend training opportunities to reach out rural areas? (should more public training institutions be built in rural areas? Would working with non-formal providers [e.g. rural area based community organizations, or NGOS] be a solution? How about mobile or technology solutions?) I did some contribution on Mobile Training. I don’t see the important of the construction of the training institutions in rural areas in Thailand because we get limited number of population we use the strategy of training as explain earlier. Our socio-economic and culture of Thailand is completely different from India which have huge population. Should work with community/NGO/private companies, etc. The C.P Company which is the lead company on food products provided raw materials, training plus seed money to villagers to start up their small farm and buy back all products from farmers to make their business sustainable and the farmers are in the care of the company to control the quality and the standards of poultry, fish, shrimp, etc, which should be produce in green and clean process.The technology on training come from line Ministries that provided training on OTOP should relevant to the production of products and if cooperate with private company, technology provided by the company such as the Solar Cell Panel installed in school to use as the base of training for students to know the transformation of Solar Energy to Electric and the application, the training also use for training villagers and they bring to use it in their community. What kinds of skills are needed to support the development of rural communities and economy? The skills that are needed are the skills that relevant to the socioeconomic of the areas that people can use to work both hard and soft skills plus entrepreneurial skills. Nowadays, we think of alternative energy from Solar, wind, crops, etc, all these needed proper skills to work for. The community must work with both public and private agencies. What are measures to encourage women, young people and disadvantaged groups in rural areas to take up training? The current government of Thailand has strong policy and mechanism to promote the role of women in all activities including working. For children and disadvantaged groups the government has policy and strategy to help them to have good quality of life. What are the key success factors for improving access to skills training in rural areas? The key success is the policy of the Government, the budget allocation and the benefit as incentive for private sectors that help government to develop our people to have proper skills to work, away from poverty and have quality of life. Should let people participate since the beginning, bottom up plan and integration working for their success. What are some good examples of how distance/blended learning and mobile phone services can deliver skills training in rural areas? I don’t have example for training through the mobile phone in rural area but for Distance Learning it was initiated by His Majesty the King Bhumibhul of Thailand since 1989 set up DLTV as the TV for training villagers focused on upgrading skills for working in agriculture, and

extended the scope to students as the tuition TV on science and technology, training villagers in English. His programmes broadcasted from His Summer Palace the Klaikungwol Palace, Huahin. Now the government and private sectors supported this project. What are good examples of how agricultural extension services have been integrated with formal skills training programs to deliver nationally recognised training to farmers and farm workers? As explain earlier we work in integration approach both public and private sectors and quality con troll by training organizations. How can skills training in rural areas lead to better and advanced skills for the beneficiaries? Villagers should have clear plan of working and gain support from the right public and private organizations. With the mentioned policies and practices of Thailand the current government gained land slide voted for the latest National election in 2011. People in rural area voted for Madame Yingluck Shinawatr to be their Prime Minister though opposed by the upper class and capital people. The rate of poverty reducing and people have good quality of life. Thank you for the ILO for giving a chance for me to share for what we have done in Thailand. Thanks for your kind attention. Purushothaman Pillai (response 3) The following reference gives a birds view of training needs based on a survey in Thanjavur area of Tamilnadu: Purushothaman P and Suresh ESM, 2012/3, Education and training need analysis for a village in Periyar Pura, International Journal of Action Research & Engineering to Eradicate Poverty Vol.No. 03, Issue No. 03, March 2012, pp- 91-98. What is interesting from the above study is that there are many who do not have clear idea on what they require skill upgrading, although they seek employment and income generation. And if we go by the expectancy theory, people look for benefits accruing to them to motivate them to take any skill development. Mobile training- what we attempted at Vettaikaraniruppu training three section of people youth, Mason and unskilled workers through resource persons attached to Gandhigram rural university through participatory methods under UNDP sponsored tsunami relief work. Government officials require training and freedom and there is competition from regular contractors and others.. is interesting and should be the future. Mobile training opportunities must be created consciously through volunteers and skilled foreman or woman. Paul Comyn (response 3) Thanks for those interesting contributions, especially from our Indian colleagues. A Sector Skills Council (SSC) for Agriculture in India has been established and this will be an interesting experiment to see how formal TVET can be integrated or linked with agricultural extension. Whilst extension is delivered in a different way to formal training, both have the potential to address skill issues related to agricultural production. A key challenge though of course is that TVET and skills development ecosystem is different to that of agricultural research and extension. In developed countries this also exists as a barrier to coordinated and harmonized efforts. It would be good to hear of any good examples of how these two 'different worlds' have come together to tackle the skills challenge in agriculture. Keep those contributions coming!

Frank Pyke Thank for the interesting discussion. I thought I would mention that in a recent project I was involved in South East Europe looking at youth unemployment, it appeared that perceptions of working conditions affected labour supply for certain industries, such as, in different countries, agriculture, textiles, engineering, and catering. For some industries, there were labour shortages despite very high youth unemployment. So it seems the quality of working conditions could matter if industries and training courses are to attract youth. Paul Comyn (response 4) Too true Frank. The poor image of TVET is driven just as much by the poor quality of TVET programs as it is by perceptions surrounding the careers for which TVET is the usual path for skill formation. In rural areas, where structural adjustment out of agriculture is a major factor in developing countries, and young people are less inclined to take over the family farm, the problem is compounded. In this situation the importance of career counseling can't be underestimated so the success stories of people who start with a vocational career and move to running successful businesses or moving into management positions provides the aspiration often missing for those that rely on TVET as a second chance option.

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