Why India needs to reform its Degree Apprentices Program

India’s young population has immense potential, but unfortunately, they face a significant skills gap. Employers hesitate to fund training due to the risks involved, and candidates often struggle to secure jobs, be productive, or leave the job. These factors hinder the development of skills and job creation and traditional financing methods have failed to address this gap. To overcome this challenge, it is crucial to establish strong connections between education, employability, and employment. Addressing three critical issues is imperative: connecting supply and demand, rectifying mismatches, and ensuring a steady supply pipeline to meet the demand.

The good news is that Degree Apprenticeship (DA) programs show promise in tackling these concerns. DAs can align with policy objectives and employer needs by offering faster hiring, reduced attrition and increased productivity, promoting scalability and replicability.

The skilling landscape in India is complex, and integrating employer financing into this framework requires policy adjustments within the existing DA structure. Tripartite contracts between universities, employers and students must be formalised, and an apprenticeship credit framework must be established to streamline eligibility and study tenure. Moreover, collaboration among stakeholders is essential to bridge the gap between education and industry needs- employers, universities, and skills organisations must collaborate to achieve this convergence.

As India’s skill landscape evolves, the demand for holistic solutions intensifies, with parents, educators, and policymakers seeking a unified approach that integrates education, skills, and employment opportunities. Degree Apprenticeships represent a transformative step in this direction, promising to revolutionise India’s skill ecosystem.

The Economic Times published an article on Why India needs to reform its degree apprenticeship programmes, penned by our Vice-Chairman, Mr. Manish Sabharwal, and CEO, Mr. A.R. Ramesh.

Interested to know more about apprenticeships and its 3-fold benefits? Contact us