We keep hearing that constant complaint about skill-shortage in India. While reports after reports highlight the rising unemployment. Which is only going to get worse with the AI coming it for everything.

But a major reason for this unemployment is also the lack of opportunities. Without the opportunity to work, you do not get to develop those skills. And without the skills, you do not get the opportunity to work. That’s the cold-start problem.

But our education system, which should be the solution to skill-gap, is part of the problem. It is too theoretical, focused on book learning and too slow to adapt. It doesn’t give students the real-world experience they need to succeed.

But fixing the education system is neither straightforward nor a complete-enough solution. For one, it’s too far up the funnel - any changes we make today won’t have an impact for years to come. And by the time they do, the job market will have shifted again, leaving our graduates unprepared. It’s a long feedback cycle that doesn’t allow for timely course correction.

Moreover, even the best education systems can’t replicate the real-world experience that’s essential for skilling. You can’t learn to ride a bike by reading a book; you need to get on the bike and ride.

So, what’s the solution? Learning by doing.

That should be the key to skilling. Instead of wasting time on toy problems, let’s give people real stuff to do. In an ecosystem where everyone can learn by doing, exploring, and solving real-world problems.

Here’s how I think it can work:

  • Create byte-sized problems that need solving.
  • Open them up to anyone, regardless of background or gender.
  • Let inexperienced candidates tackle these problems as they learn.
  • The output will be valuable, and the experience will be priceless.

    As an example, imagine a 35-year-old chef who wants to become a product manager in software.

    We give them a real-world problem to solve - let’s say, building a new product feature that would require value-risk assessment. It requires user research, target group identification, and feature analysis. They work on it, learning as they go, and producing something of value.

    The output may not be perfect, but it’s real, and that is valuable. And the experience they gain is priceless.

Do this at scale, across multiple skills and professions, and the momentum will be huge. We’ll have a credible set of valuable work done by people who’ve gained real-world experience. And we’ll have a workforce that’s skilled and confident in what they have learnt. And ready to contribute.

NOTE: This thought was crystallized by a recent post from Jason - “Do Learn”. It’s a reminder that the best way to learn is by doing, not just reading or listening.