Skillset needed for the workforce in Textile Sector

14 February 2023, Mumbai

India has acquired recognition as a desirable outsourcing location, primarily because of the large labor force available there.

One of the major industries in terms of size and the second largest in terms of employment generation is the textile sector construed to be the pride of India.

The theme of (R.U.N) reskilling, upskilling, and new-skilling is aptly pertinent now regard to the current workforce in earnest to save time, energy, and money as a saving grace and will only fire up the space.

Outlining: The sector's labour intensive nature

The initiative, which comprises several sectors and almost 4 million people, significantly boosts the national economy. Indian textile workers have been trained in these skills for many generations.

The textile industry is the only sector in India that offers skilled and unskilled laborers a significant amount of employment; As sector accounts for more than 10% of the nation's GDP and over 8% of all employment. 

Given the growth tailwind on the back of robust Indian demographics the estimated domestic textiles and apparel industry (T&C) as a proxy to global market was worth $152 bn in the year 2021, reflecting a sanguine growth of CAGR 12% hitting a whopping $225 bn by the year 2025.

Advantage India

It used to be hand technology, but now it's power technology. India's most significant exports are textiles and apparel/garments (T&A), which brought In FY 2022 Annual Textile, Apparel Exports showed an Upward trend of up to 41% To $44.4 Bn, as per the Minister of State for Textiles Mrs. Darshana Jardosh very recently.

There is some unanimity in acknowledging India is currently in the POST-Covid era an "Oasis of Calm" and that's a silver lining so far as the country's macro-economic fundamental stability goes. India offers several advantages compared to other nations, including a large labor force, vertical integration of the whole industrial process, and material resources.

The auxiliary industries will also increase in tandem with the textile market. The demand for textile equipment and accessories and the demand from the rural sector are rising.

The Indian textile sector would need around 10 million plus rightly skilled people to achieve the ambitious growth projections the government has contemplated and has envisioned in this Amrit Kaal of India’s independence therefore, the need for the right fitment can't be overstated. India has a sizable labor force but must work hard to fulfill the growing global demand.

Skill gap This is because there is a shortage of "skilled labor" in proportion to the availability of the workforce something experts have critiqued termed as "Low Employability". The chronic lack of trained workers in the Indian textile sector threatens the nation's economic ability.

India has the most significant & young labor pool in the world which our Honorable PM, PM, Narendra Modi is been pitching potentially making India the skill capital of the world one day iterating its critical vitality as investing in skill development has become the imperative demand of the day.

Yet just 5% of its workforce comprises skilled people compared to some of the great examples of the country like South Korea with 90% of workers in medium- or high-skill jobs as per some estimates.

In addition, many of them need more professional qualifications. This is due to the country's general education system needing to focus on developing vocational skills (Industry ready workforce) inducing employability at the end of the day.

More than 70% of Indian workers are either illiterate or have just a rudimentary education, which is a severe disadvantage that this sector stares at. As a result, individuals need to explore their employment options and be aware of possibilities to develop their current abilities and skillset. Place of women workforce

The demonstrability of female skillful weavers around the rich, vibrant, and diverse lineage/culture is a bright spot. While a further six crore people, primarily women and rural residents, are used in associated industries.

Policy intervention

The government must implement specific policy measures to start the rise of skilled labor. Policy initiatives of the Government entail as a part of achieving the bigger picture “Skill India” and “Make in India”; One such great example at the sector's micro level is Samarth (Scheme for Capacity Building In Textile Sector) is a flagship skill development scheme and, is quite certainly a right step in the right direction.

Everyone should have access to proper education, and vocational education and training should be encouraged at every single stage and level as this is the missing part of the puzzle. Several projects and programs for skill development have been developed in the textile industry in India in recent years.

The textile industry will be able to enhance output by using the skilled labor produced by the training program to raise productivity. Providing residents with training in textile manufacturing will also aid in creating job prospects in rural regions. Therefore, the government should develop planning strategies, policies, and programs to emphasize staff training.

Unlimited opportunities

In the future years, the Indian textile sector has the potential to create millions of employment. The Indian textile sector urgently needs adequate labor reforms and skill-upgrading initiatives.

Prospects look promising for downstream items such as processed textiles, branded fabrics, woven fabrics, and knit fabrics. The lack of qualified and adequately trained labor for the production of these items would be a barrier to the expansion of the Indian textile sector on a worldwide scale.

India-centric thesis; India should concentrate on maximizing the potential of its human resources through educating and developing its young workforce. Also paper emphasizes the needfulness of fixing the phenomenon of "MISSING MIDDLE" in this sector.

Looking at the pace of digitization across sectors how could Textile Industry be spared of it, so the most fierce debate in the sector discourse is, "Inexpensive & easy labour access in countries like India is versus robots, who will stitch the apparel/garments of the future and how will the smart factories of tomorrow be?"

Opportunities exist for the sector to be further mobilized and for more players to look into other places to establish their manufacturing facilities and processes.

Government programs have already contributed to this direction. However, is the Indian clothing/garment industry prepared to make investments in the training of the workers, given that industry, input is essential for igniting the apparel sector?

Mindset change; A mentality shift is necessary, and it should begin at the local level, where parents & mentors may play a role.

Parents must be aware of new options since they have more say than their children in selecting higher education programs. Many people must know how engineering students may get better careers in the fashion and apparel sector given the upside in the growth story, as the sector still is not a sunset industry.

Emerging paradigm; vis à vis following the convention of cultural fit hiring/recruiting the skillset a new normal is evolving for jobs what we call (DEI) Diversity, Equity & Inclusion as in conscious informed decision while onboarding candidates as in fit and proper criteria. 

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