Re-Skilling ? Can You be Specific ?

Although , this is a topic of considerable current interest – and widely covered by media - , I find very little “ clarity of thinking “ on part of those who debate !

The reason for all this sudden interest is that , although economy is growing fairly well , jobs are not growing to take care of persons joining the work force , each year ( some 12 million )

On top of that , manpower costs are rising rapidly ( what with DA linked to CPI )  , prompting businesses / industries , to go in for more mechanization / automation ( resulting in still less jobs )

Then there is a war-like cry that robots will soon displace humans from many jobs – causing further un-employment

And the universal “ Remedy “ being offered is :

“ Re-Skilling “  !

Even if all of the foregoing is partly true , the correct approach must be , as follows :

[ A ]

·         Make a list of Industries

·         Make a list of “ jobs “ , commonly found in each Industry

·         Make a list of “ skills “ , required for carrying out each of these jobs

·         Make a list of “ specific existing jobs “ that are likely to disappear ( citing clearly-worded “ reasons “ against each )

·         For these “ Likely to disappear jobs “, which current “ skills “ will ALSO disappear ?

[  B  ]

·         Make a list of what “ NEW JOBS “ ( giving clear trade-names / titles / designations etc ), are expected to come up , in next 3 / 5 years ( Industry-wise )

( Industry Associations like CII – FICCI – ASSOCHAM , can be requested by the Government , to help )

·         What will be the NEW SKILLS that will be required for each of these NEW JOBS ?

This exercise will be like writing “ job descriptions “ for each “ New Job “

·         Make a list of Institutions ( Schools / Colleges / Coaching Classes / ITI  / Online Courses etc ) , who / which , impart these skills , currently

·         List those “ New Skills “ where there is a shortage of “ New Skills Imparting Resources “

·         Frame Recommendations for :

           #   Jobseekers – as to where can they acquire

                these New Skills

          #    Institutions – as to what new courses they

                Need to introduce

         #     Government – as to what kind of Policy

                Support / Monetary Support , it should

                Extend to the Institutions / to the “ New

                Skill Learners “ / to the “ New Job Employers “

HINT :

 Job Portals such as Naukri / MonsterIndia / TimesJobs etc have , in their databases ( accumulated over past 15 years ) , may be 20 MILLION job advertisements , posted by 100,000 Companies of India

Each of this job-posting , carries a ,

·         Industry Name

·         Job Title / Designation / Vacancy-Name

·         List of KEYWORDS denoting SKILLS REQUIRED

And since each Job Advt carries a “ Posting Date “ , it should be possible to “ DETECT “ the changes in the SKILL REQUIREMENTS  , from year-to-year or even month-to-month ! [  Just like Google’s N-Gram Project ? ]…. https://books.google.com/ngrams...

These portals have all the required RESOURCES ( BIG DATA Scientists ) , to carry out the type of analysis needed to come up with reasonably good PREDICTIONs re RE-SKILLING !

I urge them to come forward to offer their service for a highly desirable objective of :

RE-SKILLING of millions

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10  July  2017

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs 

Employment : Measuring vs Creating

The “ Task Force on Improving Employment Data “ ( headed by Shri Arvind Panagariya ) , is ready with its recommendations , which are :

·         Scrap the following current methods of collecting such data :

     #   NSSO Employment and Unemployment Survey

     #   Annual Labour Force Survey

     #   Population Census

     #   Economic Census

     #   Annual Survey of Industries

     #   Quarterly Employment Survey

          Read : 

Quarterly LabourSurvey : A Still Born Child ? [ 22  March  2017  ]

        https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/03/quarterly-labour-survey-still-born-child.html

     #   Micro Small and Medium Enterprises ( MSME ) Census

     #   Sources such as EPFO / ESIC and NPS

·         Replace the above with a more robust household and enterprise survey

·         In the proposed Survey, cover following categories of workers :

#  All workers covered under EPFO, ESIC or any other social sector schemes

#  Government and other Public Sector Employees

#  Workers having coverage under private insurance or pension schemes or provident funds

#   Workers subject to tax deduction at source on their incomes should henceforth be considered as formal workers

[ Read : 

From  BAD to  MAD ( 01  June  2016 )

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/06/from-bad-to-mad.html

·         Make the GSTN number as the Universal Enterprise and Establishment Number , based on which the Annual Enterprise Survey could be carried out

Availability of a Universal Goods and Service Tax Identification Number for businesses and list of borrowers from Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency Bank ( MUDRA Bank ) can help provide sample for the Enterprise Survey

GSTN number to be extended to all commercial and non-commercial entities wishing to register

{ Read my suggestion :

An  Aadhar for Corporate ? [ 12  May  2016  }

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/05/an-aadhar-for-corporate.html

·         Creating a Central Server from which all Government Data can be accessed

  [  Read :  E – Governance ? ( 03  April  2014 )

   https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2014/04/e-governance.html

·         Annual Survey of enterprises excluded from GST , including enterprises in Health and Education

Although this reform may provide in future , a more accurate MEASUREMENT of UN-EMPLOYMENT

 , the larger question that remains unanswered is of EMPLOYMENT :

“ WHO will create , HOW MANY jobs , and WHEN , and HOW , and WHERE ? “

This question assumes significance , given the following figures :

·         During FY 13-15 , when 25.9 Million degree-holders passed out from universities , only 1 MILLION jobs were created

·         From FY 11 to FY 15 , job growth in Private Sector has been at 3 % per annum

·         2 out of 3 jobs in India’s INFORMAL SECTOR ( excluding agriculture and construction ) , are in businesses engaged in TRADE or providing SERVICES

My own views on EMPLOYMENT GENERATION , are covered by some 162 blogs ( each sent as E mail to Central Policy Makers , over the past 4 years )

Just type “ Employment “ in “ Search this Blog “ at :


www.hemenparekh.in / blogs


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09  July  2017

Crying Wolf won’t Help !

Economic Times ( 06 July ) carries following news report :

“ Despite GST , Chinese Still Strong in Power Play “

Power gear makers say Chinese cos still have an edge , lack of investment in the sector a worry

The 18 % GST that applies to Indian Manufacturers will also be applicable on imports now

But manufacturers point out that the Chinese will have access to cheaper credit and inputs and they would be fighting for a slice of the shrunk pie of orders in the domestic market since there are no signs of recovery in capex for thermal power

Capital Goods manufacturers in the power sector have been complaining that their Chinese counterparts have an undue advantage over them and are able to price products cheaper

Of the 117 GW of projects ordered for the 12^th Five year plan , almost 45 % were bagged by foreign players led by the Chinese

Two days back , a leading Tyre Manufacturer also complained about Chinese imports out-pricing locally made tyres

When will Indian Manufacturers accept that , in today’s globalized economy , there can be no such thing as a “ Level Playing Field “ ?

Here is how I look at it :

·        

LevelPlaying Field is a Double Edged Sword  ( 08 Feb 2017 )

     https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/02/level-playing-field-is-double-edged.html

=======================================================

·         EverythingElse being Equal  ( 30 April 2017 )

     https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/04/everything-else-being-equal.html

 

=======================================================

·         TheChinese are coming !  ( 19  Dec  2015  )

    https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-chinese-are-coming.html

 =======================================================

·         

Surrogate  Cow Farms  ? ( 26  Nov  2015  )

       https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2015/11/surrogate-cow-farms.html

=======================================================

·         Competitive  Advantages are  Transient  ( 11  Aug  2015  )

       https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2015/08/competitive-advantages-are-transient.html

=======================================================

·         How  China makes  Cheap  ( 08  Nov  2014  )

       https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2014/11/how-china-makes-cheap.html

09  July  2017

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs

Elon : Widow Opens ( Door is not closed, either )

In my blog :

India: the New Land of Rising Sun

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/04/india-new-land-of-rising-sun.html

I wrote :

=====================================================

#  Solar  Power  Storage

     TESLA ( Elon Musk ) is negotiating setting up of a 100 MW “ Storage Installation “ , in Australia , within 100 days, for a price of $ 25 million

For  this , TESLA will use its POWER-WALL / POWER-PACK batteries

Can Elon Musk be persuaded to set up 1000 similar Storage Installations in India, within 4 years ?

In my following blogs , I have explained how Elon Musk can be persuaded to do this – and for FREE !

·         Not a Day too Soon  ( 09 March 2017 )

    { https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/03/not-day-too-soon.html  }

·         Congrats ! and a note of Caution !  ( 07 Feb 2017 )

    { https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/02/congrats-and-note-of-caution.html }

This morning news-papers report that TESLA won that Australian Contract

 Tesla will provide the entire energy storage system for the wind farm via a 100 MW/129 MWh Powerpack system.

The Powerpack will be charged using the energy generated by the wind farm, which is owned by French renewable energy provider Neoen.

It’s expected to make South Australia’s power grid more reliable by delivering energy during peak hours.

“Upon completion by December 2017, this system will be the largest lithium-ion battery storage project in the world and will provide enough power for more than 30,000 homes,” according to Tesla’s press release.

That’s roughly the same number of homes affected by a state-wide blackout in South Australia back in September, which left 1.7 million people without electricity.

SUFFICIENTLY POWERED

Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk is, of course, excited about the deal.

In a tweet, Musk proudly announced that the Hornsdale Powerpack system would be the world’s highest power battery system.

This will be the highest power battery system in the world by a factor of 3. Australia rocks!! https://t.co/c1DD7xtC90

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 7, 2017

But Musk isn’t the only one excited about the project. 

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill expects that this “extraordinary collaboration” will stabilize the state’s energy system, as well as lower the price of electricity: “Battery storage is the future of our national energy market, and the eyes of the world will be following our leadership in this space.”

And here is that INDIAN WINDOW :

In India :

·         Solar and Wind Power generation is making rapid strides

·         Coal based power plants are inefficient and their power is costlier ( than solar )

·         Plant load Factor of coal based plants is falling continuously , making them nonviable

·         Roof Top Solar are operating in Mini Local Grids ( very small transmission )

·         Construction of dozens of new coal based plants is suspended ( no takers ! )

·         May be Rs 5 lakh*crore worth of bank loans given to these “ under construction “ plants , will turn NPA

As a result ,

·         There is a growing “ imbalance “ in the installed capacities of Coal / Solar / Wind power generation

And ,

·         Whereas cheap / efficient / clean , Solar and Wind generated power cannot be stored for later use ( eg: during peak demand at night )

TESLA’s Battery Storage solves that problem

And that leaves a Window open for Elon Musk !

08  July  2017

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs