Skill requires practice, reflection and more practice: Neharika Vohra

When students graduate out of schools and universities and enter into the real world, they realise that most of the qualifications that they carry are common to all of their peers. The knowledge base they have developed throughout their education isn’t quite as useful in securing jobs as they would hope for it to be. What the industries demand, in this changing world scenario, are skilled workers. Some estimates suggest that about 90 per cent of employment opportunities require vocational skills.  

With this rise in demand for skilled and multi-skilled workers, there is a pressing need for quality skill development and training. These skill development practices can be inculcated into the curriculum at different stages of education, from high school to graduate studies. What is pertinent at the moment is for the public to realise this trend for involving the youth in skill development. In this interview, Ms. Neharika Vohra, Vice Chancellor of Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University (DSEU), talks about the necessity of skill development education and how it helps student set themselves apart in the job market. 

What is the difference between skill and talent? 
There is a difference between talent and skill. Talent is a gift that you are born with. Skill is when you work on that talent and hone it until you become a master at it. Skill requires practice, reflection and more practice. When you are skilled at something, you understand the nuances of it. You do it effortlessly.  

What is the most crucial element for skill development? 
In order to master a skill and perform a skill effortlessly, you need to have invested time to learn and understand various aspects of the skill, whatever it may be. It could be anything from counselling and dentistry to painting, cooking, plumbing or even electrical wiring.  

Why is skill education necessary? 
In today’s day and age, everybody has access to the internet, and through the internet, Google. Google is a repository of all information and a lot of knowledge. So today, if one wants to stand out in the workplace on the basis of the expanse of their knowledge, it isn’t as distinguishable as you would hope. But if you can claim that you can do something well and do it without too much effort, then that sets you apart in the workplace and in life. So in this era, what is going to make us successful is our skill at something and therefore, my advice to students is to persevere, or, as they say, “wax on and wax off”, practise and be good at what you do.