Expanding VET into India isn’t easy now, it never has been

Yesterday CMM reported on a new Australian Government programme to help India reach its 120m new skilled workers by 2020, (including meetings, conferences and symposia!). It reminded the learned Claire Field how little happens in exporting VET to India. In 2012 India’s National Skills Development Centre’s target for up-skilling workers was 500m and Ms Field was part of a delegation led by then NSW premier Barry O’Farrell which was keen to help. But not much appears to have happened.

“It’s not for lack of trying by anyone – not least some good Australian private providers who invested heaps and walked away with nothing on joint ventures – India is so hard,” she says.