Introduction
India is a developing country with ample human resources available. With a population exceeding 1.4 billion, the majority of whom are young, it presents a significant opportunity for career growth. Every year, approximately 1.5 million engineers graduate, and India has effectively become a factory producing engineers. However, according to multiple sources, only a mere 5% of engineering students possess the necessary skill set for employability.
Why is it that out of many graduates, only a handful of people experience career growth and bridge the career gap? The main culprit is the industry-academia gap—a substantial disparity between the engineering education system and the industry’s expectations from entry-level engineers.
About Emertxe
Our organization Emertxe Information Technologies (http://www.emertxe.com), headquartered in Bangalore, is an established EdTech company, over the past 19 years.
Ever since inception our primary goal is to bridge the existing gap between industry and academia, empowering engineering students with the skills needed to secure employment. Additionally, we assist working professionals in enhancing their expertise and transitioning into the core Electronics/Embedded Industry by enhancing their profiles.
With our vast experience in handling students, we would like to present our perspectives on addressing this industry-academia gap via this blog post. Read on!
Top 5 Ways to Address Industry Academia Gap
According to us, here are the 5 ways we can address the industry academia gap.
1. Build Student Motivation
Be it any skill, motivating students plays a very important role. Thanks to our social structure, it is not necessary that all engineering graduates possess analytical and problem solving skills that make them a great engineer.
As every person is unique their strengths lie in different areas. Good number of them today are opting for engineering because of compulsion, which automatically brings down their motivation. On the positive note, every person will have talent in them. As the saying goes, fish can’t be judged by their ability to fly.
Engineering graduates should be given opportunities where they discover their strengths. It can be done by making students work on something out-of-the-box and providing them with strong encouragement. The out-of-the-box activity can be anything – organizing college fests, participating in hackathons, making them work with NGOs, providing opportunities to explore their creative side with activities like painting etc.
While most of the engineering colleges have clubs to do these activities, it can be used as a mechanism to identify what an individual is really good at. By providing more responsibilities in that direction will automatically increase their motivation and gain confidence to try out something new.
Conversely, it’s crucial to avoid demotivating students, as the potential within each individual remains uncertain. Demotivating just kills the creativity and the confidence of the students. The Indian education system is all about how much we remember and eventually marks that matters.
By making students participate in a diverse set of activities which can lift them up and increase their motivation. Moreover, adopting a hands-on approach to learning significantly boosts motivation for individuals.
2. Build a Balanced Syllabus
The subject of engineering college syllabi has become a focal point of intense debate in recent times. Many argue that the current curriculum should be entirely scrapped to incorporate the latest and most relevant technologies. While it is possible to engage in extensive discussions on this matter, we strongly recommend adopting a balanced approach that addresses career gap, promotes career growth, and enhances the overall skill set of students.
For example engineering subjects can be categorized into foundational subjects (ex: Digital Electronics) and advanced subjects (ex: Artificial Intelligence). Advanced topics can’t be built without giving enough focus on foundations. Also foundational learning needs to be made hands-on.
Once students build strong fundamentals they can be provided an opportunity to learn advanced topics. In order to learn the latest technologies, other modes of learning (ex: e-learning) can be explored. Today there are a lot of free or very reasonably priced courses available in popular course providers like Coursera, NPTEL, Udemy, Edx, Academicearth and many others.
Using these platforms students can learn from the best teachers across the world. In this case also students should be given hands-on exercises, assignments and projects where they end up building something. This will further increase their motivation (as discussed in part-1) and make them ready to learn any new technology as they step into their career.
Further augmenting this strategy, is the potential for collaboration with EdTech companies. For instance, partnering with organizations like ours could offer an enriched avenue for learning. Emertxe’s distinctive approach, grounded in hands-on learning experiences and internships, could seamlessly complement the academic curriculum.
This collaborative synergy could bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world application, instilling a profound sense of readiness as students embark on their professional endeavors.
3. Provide Workplace Exposure
When studying in colleges, students often lack awareness of workplace expectations, leading to a significant career gap. To address this challenge, it’s crucial to create awareness by providing students with exposure to real-time workplaces. Internships serve as an effective means to bridge the gap between academia and industry, facilitating career growth and the development of essential skill sets.
In India the Governing body of Engineering Education – AICTE has mandated one month of internship for pre-final year students recognizing the importance of closing the career gap.
At Emertxe, we are deeply committed to contributing to this endeavor. To support students in their career growth, we have introduced free Online Internships Centered around two of our flagship technologies – Embedded Systems and IoT our internship program has received enthusiastic recognition from academia, industry, and the wider media sphere.
Our Embedded Systems Internship achieved significant success, attracting over 10,000 interns and students from more than 3000+ engineering colleges across India and students from 77 countries.
Emertxe’s online internship program reached students globally, spanning countries like Korea, France, Kazakhstan, and Germany. Guided by top learning mentors, our virtual embedded systems internships provided exceptional opportunity for students to bridge the career gap and enhance their skill sets from any location.
Positive participant feedback has inspired us to extend our support to more students by offering free internships in other domains like FullStack (MERN) Web Development as well promoting their career growth and skill set development.
4. Leveraging Technology
Leveraging technology in education has revolutionized the way we learn and interact, bridging the gap between geographical boundaries and expanding the horizons of knowledge sharing.
Across various colleges, there’s a remarkable trend emerging where topmost professors are conducting live classes that transcend traditional physical barriers. This not only allows students to access the expertise of renowned educators but also encourages collaborative learning as learners from different institutions come together to participate.
Ex : Cornell University, Adhyayan, Hundred .
Moreover, technology has fostered the creation of learner groups that span across colleges, facilitating the formation of diverse project teams. This approach promotes the exchange of ideas and viewpoints, enriching the learning experience by exposing students to a wider range of perspectives.
An equally exciting aspect of leveraging technology is the integration of industry expert master classes. In Emertxe, we have embraced this concept with enthusiasm, organizing masterclasses that delve into intriguing and engaging topics. These sessions not only provide insights into real-world applications but also offer students a chance to interact directly with professionals who are at the forefront of their respective fields.
Here’s a compilation of masterclass webinars hosted by experts in their respective fields, organized by Emertxe.
5. Government and Policy Embedment
Government and policy embedment play a pivotal role in shaping the foundation of a stable and progressive society. The significance of these elements lies in their ability to provide structure, guidance, and regulations that ensure the well-being and development of a nation and its citizens. Governments establish frameworks that safeguard individual rights, maintain law and order, and promote equality.
Through well-crafted policies, issues such as healthcare, education, economy, and the environment can be addressed systematically. Effective policy embedment ensures that these measures are not just fleeting ideas but enduring principles that stand the test of time. In essence, the partnership between a robust government and thoughtfully devised policies is essential for fostering an environment where both citizens and the nation can thrive.
The National Education Policy (NEP) is a comprehensive framework that outlines the vision and roadmap for transforming the education system in a country. The primary objective of a NEP is to enhance the quality, accessibility, and relevance of education, ultimately contributing to the holistic development of students and the overall progress of the nation.
NEPs often emerge after a careful analysis of educational challenges and opportunities, involving input from experts, educators, policymakers, and stakeholders from various fields. Through its strategic recommendations, a NEP aims to catalyze positive changes in education that can drive social and economic advancement.
Skill India is a national initiative launched by the Government of India with the goal of empowering the country’s vast population with essential skills sets for employability and entrepreneurship. The program focuses on bridging the gap between the skills possessed by the workforce and the demands of the rapidly evolving job market.
The initiative includes various schemes, programs, and partnerships that work together to provide training, assessment, and placement opportunities to individuals across different age groups. By enhancing the skill levels of the workforce, Skill India aims to boost economic growth, reduce unemployment, and increase the overall productivity of the nation, while simultaneously promoting a culture of lifelong learning and skill development.
Both NEP and Skill India prioritize employability uniquely. NEP hones holistic development and practical skills, fostering critical thinking and adaptability, qualities employers value. Vocational integration equips students with industry-ready skills, while teacher empowerment ensures effective skill nurturing.
Skill India directly enhances employability through sector-specific training, aligning skills with industry demands. This initiative equips individuals with sought-after practical skills, boosting job prospects. Additionally, its focus on entrepreneurship transforms job-seekers into job creators, spurring economic growth. This strategy effectively addresses the employability gap by imparting immediately applicable skills.
Conclusion
In conclusion, addressing the critical question of how to bridge the gap between academia and industry in India’s engineering education demands a collective effort from all stakeholders. By harnessing these five strategies – building student motivation, designing a balanced curriculum, providing practical exposure, embracing technology, and government and policy enablement – institutions can transform the educational landscape.
The collective implementation of these strategies holds the promise of not only addressing the immediate industry-academia gap but also ushering in a new era of innovation. As academia and industry converge through collaboration, a synergy emerges that propels progress forward.
Graduates emerge from this transformed education system not only equipped with technical skills but also possessing the versatility, adaptability, and confidence required to navigate an ever-evolving engineering landscape.
In essence, embarking on the journey how to bridge the gap between academia and industry is an exciting endeavor that has the potential to shape the future of engineering education in India. It necessitates a shared commitment from all stakeholders to nurture graduates who not only possess knowledge but also serve as catalysts for positive change in their respective fields.
| SN | Related Blogs | Links |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Free Online Internships in Embedded Systems Launch | Click Here |
| 2. | Online Free IoT Internship for Engineering Students | Free Certificates |2023 | Click Here |
| 3. | Emertxe’s Online Training Programs in Embedded Systems & IoT | Click Here |