The emphasis on vocational education and career awareness at PM SHRI Government High School, Shey is further strengthened by its participation in the “World of Work” initiative under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
A significant step in this direction was the two-day World of Work workshop inaugurated on October 31, 2025, at PM SHRI Government High School, Chuchot Yokma, under the leadership of Prof. Indrani Bhaduri, Head and CEO of PARAKH, NCERT. The programme was organised by the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), Leh, under the School Education Department, UT Ladakh.
The workshop brought together 80 students from four PM SHRI schools of Leh district—Government High School Chuchot Yokma, Government High School Thiksey, Government High School Shey and Government High School Chuchot Shamma. The participation of students from these institutions provided a common platform for exploring career possibilities, emerging technologies and the changing nature of employment.
Connecting School Education with the World of Work
The World of Work initiative represents an important shift towards connecting school education with practical skills and future career opportunities.
Designed particularly for students of Grades 9 and 10, the programme seeks to introduce learners to the diversity of career options available beyond conventional academic pathways. It encourages students to think about employment not simply in terms of traditional professions, but also in relation to emerging sectors, technological change and evolving skill requirements.
For students at the secondary-school level, such exposure can be particularly valuable. It allows them to begin identifying their interests and strengths while developing a broader understanding of the relationship between education, skills and employment.
Exploring Traditional and Emerging Careers
An important component of the workshop was the orientation towards both traditional and non-traditional career pathways.
The programme introduced students to 36 emerging job sectors identified by the Ministry of Skill Development, giving them an opportunity to look beyond familiar career choices and understand the growing diversity of the employment landscape.
This broader exposure is significant because the world of work is changing rapidly. New occupations are emerging alongside established professions, while technological developments are transforming the skills required in many existing jobs.
Helping students become aware of these developments at an early stage can encourage them to make better-informed decisions about further education, vocational training and career development.
Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Work
The workshop also addressed the growing influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the global world of work.
AI is increasingly becoming part of numerous sectors and professions, changing how tasks are performed and creating demand for new combinations of technical and human skills. Introducing school students to these developments can help them understand that their future careers may involve technologies and occupations that are still evolving.
For students, the objective is not necessarily to become AI specialists at this stage. Rather, early exposure can build digital awareness, curiosity and adaptability, enabling learners to approach technological change with greater confidence.
This is particularly relevant to the broader educational vision being developed at Govt High School, Shey, where digital literacy and basic exposure to emerging technologies are being integrated with conventional academic learning.
Aligned with NEP 2020
The World of Work initiative reflects key principles of NEP 2020, particularly the emphasis on vocational education, experiential learning, skill development and preparing students for real-life challenges.
The policy seeks to reduce the separation between academic and vocational streams and encourage students to acquire practical skills alongside subject knowledge.
For schools such as Shey, this creates an opportunity to develop an educational model in which students learn not only what to study, but also how their learning can be applied in the wider world.
From Knowledge to Skills
The workshop also reinforces the idea that education must equip young people with more than examination-oriented knowledge.
The modern workplace increasingly values communication, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, digital literacy and the ability to adapt to change.
By exposing students to career options and emerging sectors, the World of Work programme can help them begin developing a skills-oriented mindset. Students can start recognising that successful careers may require continuous learning and the ability to acquire new competencies throughout their professional lives.
Building an Adaptable Generation
The larger objective of the programme is to nurture learners who are informed, agile and adaptable.
This is particularly important for today’s students because the occupations they eventually enter may look very different from those available today. Preparing them for uncertainty therefore requires an education system that encourages curiosity and lifelong learning.
Rather than attempting to predict one fixed career for every student, programmes such as World of Work can help young people develop the confidence and awareness needed to navigate multiple possibilities.
Significance for Govt High School, Shey
For Govt High School, Shey’s emerging role as a PM SHRI mentor institution, participation in such initiatives has significance beyond the students directly attending the workshop.
The knowledge and experience gained through World of Work programmes can potentially be incorporated into the school’s own career-guidance and skill-development activities and shared with neighbouring institutions.
This complements the school’s other initiatives in STEM education, digital literacy, vocational exposure and student leadership, creating a more comprehensive approach to preparing learners for life beyond school.
Supporting the Vision of a Skilled India
The programme also aligns with the Government of India’s wider emphasis on skill development and preparing young people for emerging employment opportunities.
The underlying message is clear: India’s future workforce must be equipped not only with academic qualifications but also with practical competencies, technological awareness and the capacity to adapt.
For students in Ladakh, such exposure can open their horizons to opportunities at the local, national and global levels while allowing them to appreciate the importance of developing skills relevant to their own communities.
Preparing Students for Tomorrow
The World of Work workshop represents an important bridge between the classroom and the career landscape.
By bringing together students from four PM SHRI schools, introducing them to diverse career pathways, highlighting emerging sectors and discussing the growing influence of AI, the programme provides young learners with a broader understanding of what the future may hold.
For Govt High School, Shey, this experience fits naturally within its wider educational transformation. Its focus on experiential STEM learning, vocational education, digital literacy, cultural learning and community engagement reflects an increasingly holistic approach to student development.
As these initiatives continue to evolve, the objective is not simply to prepare students for their next examination, but to prepare them for a rapidly changing world—equipped with knowledge, practical skills, technological awareness, confidence and the adaptability required for the jobs of tomorrow.