Professional certification will help us succeed in jobs: Students

New Delhi: Ninety-one per cent Indian students believe that a professional certification will help them succeed in their job while 96 per cent felt it will help them get a employment after graduation, according to a new survey.

The study conducted by online learning platform Coursera also found that employers in India place a higher value on professional certificates when making hiring decisions than their counterparts in Australia, the UK, Germany and France.

Nearly 5,000 students and employers across 11 countries - Australia, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the UAE, the UK and the US - were surveyed as part of the study. "Ninety-six per cent of surveyed Indian students (versus 90 per cent of students worldwide) believe that earning a professional certificate will help them stand out to employers and get a job after graduation," the survey report stated. It added that 92 per cent of surveyed employers in India - compared to 88 per cent globally - believe that a professional certification strengthens a candidate's job application, demonstrating a widespread preference for credentials that demonstrate specific professional skills.

"Ninety-one per cent of surveyed Indian students believe that a professional certificate will help them succeed in their job after they are hired (compared to a global average of 86 per cent)," the report stated. "Employers in India place a higher value on professional certificates (85 per cent) when making hiring decisions than their counterparts in Australia, the UK, Germany, and France (71 per cent), and also higher than the global average (72 per cent)," it added.

The survey results reflect the extent to which skills-first credentials are influencing both university choices made by students, and employer hiring decisions, the report noted. "Connecting skills-based learning and skills-based hiring can unlock opportunities for students while diversifying and expanding talent pipelines for employers", said Raghav Gupta, managing director for India and APAC, Coursera.

"Higher education institutions in India are enhancing their curricula by incorporating industry micro-credentials, boosting student recruitment and graduate employability. This industry-academia collaboration equips students with job-relevant skills and hands-on experience, giving them a head start as they enter the workforce after graduation," he added.