VIJAYAWADA: All set for district-wise ‘skill gap’ to identify the industrial needs and search for manpower with needed skill sets. The pre-survey process is in the final stage and the survey is likely to commence in mid-June. Recently, due to the lockdown for containing coronavirus spread, a large number of migrant workers returned to their home States and this had an impact on the industries in Andhra Pradesh.
To address the gap, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed officials to conduct the ‘skill gap’ survey. Pointing out at the peculiar situation the MSMEs facing with 2.8 lakh migrant workers leaving for their States and another 1.3 lakh returning home, the Chief Minister mooted ‘skill gap’ study to assess the requirements of MSMEs and find locally available talent, so the needed skilled personnel can be found with the help of village volunteers and village secretariats and if they are willing, their names can be suggested to MSMEs in State for replacement.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, officials of the Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) said all necessary forms for conducting the survey are being finalised and in a week and they will take up the survey with help of district industrial units, district managers of APSSDC and other officials from the district administrations. “The survey is likely to be completed in about one month and thereafter analysing the trends, industry requirement, available skill sets, areas where improvement is needed will be analysed, which will take another month and thereafter the report will be submitted to the State government for a final decision,” a senior official explained.
At this juncture, it is hard to quantify exactly as to how much manpower has decreased in which industry and what are the skill sets needed. All the migrant workers, who have returned to other States, might not be industry workers. Similar is the case with all those returning home from other places. Experts say that the present crisis could also be an opportunity to overhaul the existing system and chalk out plans for future requirements and accordingly fill the gap with local manpower having required skill sets.
“Each industry requirement of skill sets may vary. The skill-gap survey would focus on finding out skills required by the industries. Simultaneously, with help of village/ward volunteers, a parallel survey will be taken up to find out the skills of youth and where they can be improved. Mapping will be done to match the available with required skills to the industry requirement,” another senior official of the APSSDC said.
The survey may also give an opportunity for the emergence of new entrepreneurs, by taking advantage of the available skilled manpower data. At the same time, those who have returned home from other States may get job in AP itself.