“The greatest wealth is to be self-sufficient and independent.” Aristotle – The role of a skill census is an important instrument used to evaluate the skills and competencies of a country’s human resources. This will be systematically collected from different sectors on skills, knowledge, and competencies possessed by workers. This information is critical because they will be able to provide an overview of the labor market to identify skills shortages that will provide the basis for effective workforce development policies.
These skill development initiatives were led by Chandrababu Naidu, a prominent Indian politician.
- These programmes aim to conduct a skill audit of the workforce in Andhra Pradesh and find out the skill gaps and design an action Plan for skilling as per the gap.
- This could include:
- Collecting through surveys of people on their available skills.
- Taking shape the training program to upgrade where the workforce has to be done.
- Working with industry partners to ensure that education and training programs reflect what the job market really needs.
- Encouraging entrepreneurship and self-employment opportunities
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Stats
- The world has an estimated 8.09 billion people on Jan 1, 2025, an increase of 71 million people from the previous year (0.89% growth rate).
- Worldwide Births: 4.2 per second (estimated)
- Worldwide Deaths: 2.0 deaths per second (estimated)
- Projected population data as of January 15, 2023: 1.46 billion, an increase of 0.86% from a year ago
- The “community” column will only gather data for the census, scheduled to take place on January 1, 2025, but there are no plans to conduct caste-based data collection4.
- In 2030, the world population is expected to be around 8.23 billion and from there, it is still increasing but at a very decreasing rate because the global fertility rates are declining.
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What is Skill Census?
A skills census is where the skills and competency of a certain individual or workforce within an organization are systematically identified and documented. Data such information is used for workforce planning, training needs assessment and, more generally, to enhance organizational performance.
The idea of a census of skills has evolved over time. For centuries, the only thing that governments were ever interested in, was counting the population. However, with the rising importance of human capital, the trends have changed to knowing the plethora of skills prevalent within a population. Assessments of people’s skills that were carried out earlier had inclined towards one type of industry or occupation. Many modern skill censuses can capture more diversified and wider-scale skills and competency within the major chunk of one’s workforce
- Determine the mismatch between available skills and the demands of the labor market.
- Guide the development of relevant training programs and educational initiatives.
- Enhance the job prospects of individuals by connecting them with suitable employment opportunities.
- Foster a skilled workforce that can drive economic productivity and competitiveness.
- Promote equitable access to skill development opportunities for all individuals, regardless of their background.
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Pros of Skill Census
- Skill census data provides valuable insights for policymakers to make informed decisions about workforce development initiatives.
- Resources can be better allocated to address critical skill shortages and support the development of in-demand skills.
- A skilled workforce contributes to a more competitive economy, attracting investment and driving economic growth.
- A census of skills identifies the gaps and makes available relevant training that will help an individual to be more employable or get better jobs.
- Skill development programs could help the disadvantaged improve their economic outcomes and attain social mobility.
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Cons of Skill Census
- The collection and storage of sensitive personal information raise issues regarding data privacy and security.
- A full-scale skills census is an expensive affair that requires a lot of resources for data collection, analysis, and dissemination.
- The skill evaluation may not be a true representative of the different skills of different individuals from a diverse background, hence leading to biased outcomes.
- Some individuals and organizations resist adapting to the evolving skill needs of the labor market.
- Soft skills and some other creative capabilities are hard to measure and assess.
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A Skill Census systematically identifies and documents the skills and competencies of a workforce. This data helps determine skill gaps in the labor market, guide relevant training programs, enhance job prospects, and foster a skilled workforce that drives economic growth. It involves defining scope, collecting data through surveys and assessments, analyzing results, and disseminating findings to stakeholders.
