Professional Education: Why it is indispensable?

Education is not a necessity but a right of one and all. It is not just an indicator of knowledge and skills; the number of years one has spent in school or college; the number of degrees one possesses but also an indicator of how well a person behaves, handles different especially difficult situations and takes the right decision.

Mahatma Gandhi remarked ‘literacy in itself is no education’ because merely cramming up facts and being able to read and write is a very narrow way of looking at education. Education should not only be a means to a person’s development but it should also lead to the shaping of his career, the satisfaction of his self-esteem needs and above all leading a contented life. This is where professional education becomes important. The importance of professional education should not be underestimated because it is the key to an individual’s and society’s growth and well-being. Imagine the world without professionally qualified doctors, engineers, managers, IT professionals, scientists, lawyers, architects and you will feel that you are still living in a primitive age.

What is Professional Education?

Professional education is the cornerstone of building human capital, economic capital and social capital. It brings for the individual better clarity of ideas, mental health and reduced insecurity about the uncertainties of the future. It develops human talents and interests, and allowing for personal growth since the expansion of knowledge and human achievement are valuable for their own sake. It also brings with it higher earnings, job security and opportunities for advancement.

Significance of Professional Education

For the organisation it a harbinger of innovation, profitability and success. An employee's intellectual ability can be treated as an asset to the organisation. Employers look for employees who are efficient and require less supervision. Professionally qualified employees fit the bill perfectly. The more the employees know about their job function, the more they understand their role, the more they are prepared for it, the more valuable they become to an employer. In this sense, an investment in a professionally qualified human resource is similar to an investment in better equipment.

Professional education is also a vehicle for equity, poverty reduction, social mobility, greater social inclusion, and long-term economic growth. All countries, irrespective of their GDP and per capita income stand to gain from the increasing coverage and quality of professional education. Although other factors such as geography and available resources, are significant, having professional qualified workforce results in outcomes that are beyond the normal. Countries having a higher proportion of their population groomed through professional institutions can realise faster economic growth than countries with non-professionally qualified workers. As a result, many countries provide funding for professional education to improve economic performance.

Amongst the gains from professional education at different levels, the individual level is the most important. This is because professional education not only enables individuals to enhance economic and social activities but also to orient or re-orient economic and social life. Education in professional skills not only prepares individuals for the job; it shapes the job market itself. Professional education not only hones human talents and develops the vast domain of human potential; it advances the society’s and nation’s repository of knowledge and innovation.

Scope of Professional Education in India

The several disciplines in which professional courses in India are offered include Computer Science, Business Management, Medical and Pharmacy, Accounts and Finance, Aviation, Media and Entertainment, Law, Event Management, Engineering, Hotel Management, Fashion Designing, Travel and Tourism Mass Communication, Public Relation, Advertising, Human Resource, Community Development and Architecture.

Outcomes from Professional Education

The outcomes from professional education at all levels are contingent on the quality of professional education being imparted. Government policies related to professional education, management of professional institutions, quality of educators, curriculum and pedagogy, thus all matter too much. When decision-making is centralised and is in the hands of bureaucrats it is important that different stakeholders (Director/Principal/Chairman, parents, students, working professionals and corporate employers) are involved. The managing committee of professional institutions should have a sense of responsibility which means a feeling of being connected and guided by the mission and vision of the institution and a drive for continuous excellence.

Even the most sturdy professional education systems tend to fail if they are not supplemented by qualified, professionally trained and self-motivated teachers who do not see teaching as merely their job but as a means of shaping the future of the individual and the country. Luckily for students, there are many institutions in the country which have highly committed and self-driven teachers who are more than willing to augment students’ knowledge and performance irrespective of the odds they face or the effort they have to undergo. These stalwarts enrich and transform the lives of students by teaching with a great deal of will power, ingenuity and enthusiasm.

Pedagogy & curriculum are not an end in themselves, but a means for professional institutions and teachers to realise their objectives. Thick and complicated study material can intimidate students but the right pedagogy may allow him to sail through it very smoothly. The curriculum should be in line with the requirements of not only the domestic but also the international environment.  Globalisation demands that educational programs prepare the youth to understand global opportunities and concerns, grasp complex problems and cope up with rapid change and uncertainty.

Thus, the purpose of professional education is not only to hand over degrees to students but to provide the society with competent men and women trained in different vocations & professions, who will not only work for their well-being but also the success of their organisation & the welfare of the society.

About the Author:

Dr. Tripti Barthwal is Director, LBSIM - Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management and Development Studies, Lucknow.

Note: The views expressed in this article are solely author’s own and do not reflect/represent those of Shiksha