New Indian Researcher at the BIBB

Pooja Gianchandani currently works at the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) as a German Chancellor's Fellow. Until November 2017, she will pursue her research on the "Long-term benefits for investing in vocational education & training (VET) using the dual system of training as a case" to find out some relevant lessons for India.

iMOVE: Please give us some information on your personal and professional background.

Pooja Gianchandani: My journey with skills development began as the first recruit of the national team set up by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) to work on Vocational Education & Training / Skills Development. It was a steep learning curve given the industry-academia gap and multiple stakeholders in India. As a young person wanting to service the country, I have connected with this topic at many personal levels. Skill development is very important for a country with approximately 60 per cent of its population in the working age group of 18-35 years actively seeking employment. A policy framework which works and provides young people with skills that lead to jobs is a national priority. The thought of 'Skills for All' was seeded in my mind, meaning that every young person has the opportunity for skill-based careers by 'choice' and not by 'chance' was thus seeded in my mind. This has now become my professional mission.

Over the years I have leveraged my skills for solution design, programme development, stakeholder aggregation and communication to set up successful initiatives. International cooperation has been the underlying theme to learn from best practices. During this process I have gained valuable exposure to markets in Europe, South Asia, Africa, Middle East and Pacific.

As the Director for Skills Development at FICCI (India's apex industry chamber) I worked closely with the Indo-German Joint Working Group on VET. We gained first-hand exposure to the merits of the German dual system of training. One of the recurring discussion points, however, at various G2G and B2B fora on the dual system has been: 'What motivates industry to invest in training and apprenticeships in Germany?' Although India is unique in every possible way, studying examples from Germany on the motivators for investing in vocational education for industry, government and parents can provide very useful insights. Investigating the Return on Investment (RoI) in apprenticeships and training is especially relevant for the sector of micro small and medium enterprises. Therefore, when I was selected as a German Chancellor's Fellow by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to pursue my research in this area, I did not hesitate to quit my job and take up the challenge of reviewing the dual system from this point of view. My host BiBB and its integrated organizational units iMOVE and GOVET play a critical role and shall provide much required technical and international input on all related topics.

iMOVE: Which project will you work on at the BIBB?

Pooja Gianchandani: The need for VET/Skills linked to employment has been a recurring theme of all policy dialogues on education, youth engagement, migration and industrial growth. It is now an important United Nation development goal, too. Captains of industry across sectors have strongly demanded the strengthening of education systems to produce a skilled and 'job ready' workforce. However, the costs of education are rising. Learners (and parents) are constantly seeking careers that provide decent work that pays minimum wages, recognizes the skills as qualification and provides a career pathway.

In India, despite the political will, private sector interest and demographic advantage, we continue to struggle to bridge the demand-supply gap. 12 million people join our workforce very year! Experts have cited the lack of an integrated education and skills system and of sustainable business models as two most important factors slowing the pace of skills development initiatives. In order to look into this deeply and to look at the merits of an integrated, industry led system, my research project is focused on studying "Do investments in vocational education and training have long-term social and economic Impact" using the German dual system of training as a case.

The key elements of my project are: (a) developing a cost-benefit analysis of industry investments in VET using a productivity-based approach and also accrued long-term benefits for the industry from such an investment (b) review the construction, manufacturing (including automotive) and retail sector training programs for closer comparisons with challenges in India (c) qualitative comparison of these with other European models that are prominent in India, Sweden, UK.

iMOVE: What was your motivation to come to Germany and the BIBB?

Pooja Gianchandani: The success of the German dual system of training, which is a unique model, where ownership of the training programs is with the industry and learners, is the inspiration for my coming to Germany. VET in Germany is recognized as an investment in the future! It is a system where all the stakeholders participate fully including the learners who can choose flexible career pathways. This means easy transition from VET-based 'blue collar jobs' to higher education-based 'white collar jobs'. The element of apprenticeships which is integral to the whole system prepares the trainees for a 'job' beyond mere qualifications on paper. The German system has also demonstrated that clarity of roles geared towards implementation can drive successful partnerships. It is in these successes that one can find answers to what works and also what does not!

iMOVE: How would you describe your experiences so far?

Pooja Gianchandani: The BiBB is a premier research institution which advises policy makers nationally and globally on all aspects of VET based on empirical research. It is like an ocean of knowledge on skills where I am right now, ready to dive in. I am naturally very excited about the opportunity to seek the guidance of the many experts not only for my topic, but for skills development holistically.

The analysis of the available research data and literature at BiBB is already helping me to shape the priorities of the project. Of course there are challenges too, for example the need to master a new language quickly in order to effectively review the available literature and facilitate the accessibility to stakeholders. I am, however, very optimistic that in what is available I will be able to open new doors for dialogue and partnerships. Perhaps, a white paper on my topic and a webinar series in the coming year will be the starting point. I want to launch an initiative that will strengthen the Indo-German skills partnership with modernized processes.

Portrait
 © Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
Pooja Gianchandani
German Chancellor Fellow at the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB)

Phone: +49 176 21407430

 iMOVE, November 2016