Vocational Training

The main identity of every adult is his occupation. Vocational work creates a distinct identity for the individual. All kinds of productive activities come under vocationalism. Employment is an activity through which a person benefits himself and others. Employment can be done at home as well as outside the home. Employment is a regular and fixed daily work. The work and work area of each person can be different. Different types of training are provided to a person for different types of occupations. Generally, vocational training means establishing a person as a productive member of the society by making him skilled in the basic skills of earning a livelihood. To become skilled in any occupation, training in that particular occupation is required not only by disabled persons but also by normal people. As we know that disabled persons lack the ability to work. Therefore, special attention is required while training them.

By receiving vocational training, disabled persons can live an independent life like normal persons as productive members of the society. This training is usually given to those people who become proficient in personal, social, emotional, life saving skills as well as safety skills, because before vocational training, pre-vocational skills related to that occupation are required. Only after training in those skills, the person is included in the training of vocational skills so that they can be facilitated in learning employment oriented skills.

Need for work for a disabled person-

Through work, a person feels self-satisfied and feels self-respect. When disabled people work without the help of others, they consider themselves useful to the family and the community. They fulfill their daily needs with the money they get in return for their work. Therefore, having a job is very important for such people. During work, they get an opportunity to meet other members of the society, as a result of which they learn a lot for life. People use their abilities in work. This keeps the body and mind functioning and continuously progresses towards development. It has been seen in most such people that due to lack of work, they become stressed and frustrated, due to which their disability starts increasing. Therefore, disabled people should be given the opportunity to work, so that they can prove useful in the family and society. Before assigning any work to such people, it is necessary to give them an opportunity to develop skills, habits and behavior. When a person learns a specific work, he becomes proficient in all the abilities related to it. There is a need to provide such opportunities by creating specific programs for mentally retarded persons. Thus, developmental delay in a person can be prevented by a planned vocational training program. While using purposeful activities in vocational development, many processes are kept in mind. All those activities are performed in a sequential manner which makes learning easy.

Job Analysis-

Employment analysis is very important in the selection of employment. Employment analysis is a process in which every aspect related to that employment is analysed in a systematic manner. Every employment can have many parts, arranging them in a systematic manner is employment analysis. This shows which skill is suitable for which person, because suitable employment is selected keeping in mind the person’s ability, availability of employment, socio-economic status, family status and cultural status. Employment analysis has the following objectives-

• Making a training plan- Generally, before starting any work, a person makes a plan. All the things related to the work are included in this plan. Similarly, before giving training for any job, a future plan is prepared for the child according to that training program in which it is decided that which job training will be given to him and what aspects will be related to it.
• Proper employment training- On the basis of employment analysis, this information is obtained whether this job is suitable for the person or not.
• Preparation of employment training plan- Under the preparation of the plan in employment training, future programs related to that training program are planned.
• Providing proper employment training- Through employment analysis, the person is provided training on every aspect related to employment.
• Guarantee of success of employment training- The guarantee of success of any employment training depends on the aspect related to that employment. All those aspects are considered under employment analysis.
• Study of the nature of employment- To know the nature of any employment, all the aspects related to that employment have to be analysed. Only on the basis of appropriate analysis, the nature of employment can be studied in the correct form.
• Checking the efficiency of the supervisor- While doing employment analysis, the efficiency of the supervisor working in employment training is also assessed. This gives an opportunity to test his ability because only a skilled supervisor can conduct employment training in a good manner.

Thus employment analysis is an essential aspect in the selection of employment for any person. The following approach is required for employment analysis-

1. Job Analysis Method- The technology and environment required by a person to do a job is analyzed through job analysis method. This tells whether the person fulfills the necessary requirements for the given job or not. If the person is completely out of his ability, then such work is not given to him so that he can be saved from failure and frustration.
2. Work Sampling Method- In this method, the person’s ability, inability, qualification, incapability are first identified and training is given according to the work that has to be given to him. In this, training is given by taking a sample part of the entire work, then training is given for the entire work.
3. Job Try Out Method- According to this method, the person is given the opportunity to learn all the tasks at the training center and which task is in accordance with the person’s ability is duly inspected. After this, he is trained in one area in which he is most interested.
4.  Work Simulation Method- In this method, the person is given the opportunity to work and it is seen that he feels that he has got employment. In this, the rules, laws, quality, speed and level of success of the work are observed, that is, the complete social and cultural environment of the work is provided and observed. Whatever shortcomings are seen in the person, they are improved through teaching.
5. On the Job Training Method- This method is also called the work situation method. In this method, the person who has the ability to work at the place of employment is selected for the business. In this, the person remains aware of the social and cultural aspects as well as the physical aspects according to the environment of the workplace. In this, wherever there is a mistake in relation to work related abilities, it is corrected at the same time and the person is encouraged. This method is used outside the work place and away from the training center. When this method is used, no reward is given to the person. In this, follow up is also done.
6. Job Sample Method- In this method, the deficiency in the person’s abilities is assessed and information is obtained. After this, such tasks which can be completed within the limits of those abilities are selected. To do this work, the person is given proper training and whenever required, suitable changes are made in the work process and signs.
7. Work Placement Method- In this method, the person who is trained and motivated towards the work is given employment. After this, other colleagues keep helping him from time to time. The doctor appointed in the training center also helps him as per the need. In this, the person has to fulfill the demand of the work and care is taken that he becomes completely self-reliant. Under this method, the person is partially supported when needed and money is paid for the work done.

Types of employment-

From the vocational point of view, employment is mainly divided into three parts. Out of these, disabled persons can easily get only a few jobs. Hence, similar types of jobs are selected to connect disabled persons with the mainstream of society and to lead a productive life.

Sheltered Employment – Under this, there is a workshop in which mentally retarded persons are trained and provided employment there itself. In this, even severely and mildly mentally retarded persons are given training in specific skills as per their qualifications and made to work under proper supervision. Examples of sheltered employment are – painting unit, carpentry unit, spray-painting unit, etc.

Open Employment- The field of open employment is very vast and there is a lot of competition in it. There are some such continuously repetitive tasks in the market which mentally challenged children can do successfully. After a little initial help, they can work successfully in open employment. The choice of employment in open employment should be done very carefully so that mentally challenged and other types of disabled persons are not exploited. The following jobs can be suitable for such persons under open employment, such as- office assistant, canteen assistant, assistant in stationery or any other shop, assistant in vehicle workshops, assistant in printing press, photocopy machine and cyclostyle machine operator etc.

Self Employment- Families of some disabled persons have sources or resources for self-employment. If mentally challenged persons are given proper and adequate training for a particular work and the family is ready to help and take care of their work, then self-employment can be very successful. India is a country of villages. Here self-employment for mentally challenged persons is looked down upon. It includes food products, milk production, agricultural work and in urban areas envelope making, candle making, incense stick making, running a paan shop, etc.

Keeping in view the need, convenience and ability of disabled people, some other means of employment can also be made available, which are as follows-

1. Food production- Such jobs in which a person is involved in the work of producing food items, such as vegetable and fruit farming, selling vegetables and fruits, watering plants, plucking vegetables, cutting grass, plowing the field, sowing seeds, feeding animals, milking cows and buffaloes, selling milk, etc.
2.  Community work- There are some jobs which are directly related to community work, such as road maintenance, maintaining water availability, health work, office work, etc.
3. Cultural work- There are some jobs which are related to cultural work. One can earn a living by adopting such work as employment, such as music, dance, decoration, painting, etc.

Apart from this, disabled people can also be employed in making and repairing furniture, participating in house building, making shoes and slippers, making soap, making candles, repairing radios and watches, making jute bags, sewing clothes, making cloth bags, working on different types of metals, handicrafts, weaving, embroidery, pottery, etc.

Money is needed to start any employment. For this, some people from the community can form a group and become its members. These people can collect money for the development of the community and can give loans at low interest rates to those who want to start employment. To support such work, the National Handicapped Financial and Development Corporation of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, gives grants to many organizations and groups.