'COVID-19 made 3/4 Indian learners rethink career path'

Bengaluru: The COVID-19 pandemic has made more than three out of four Indian learners to rethink their career path, according to a survey.

As per the findings of the survey conducted by learning company Pearson, 87 per cent of Indian students think online learning would be a part of children”s education experience moving forward.

“Eighty-two per cent Indians say the pandemic already has permanently changed the way people work; 80 per cent say new jobs and skill needs will arise as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; and 77 per cent say COVID-19 pandemic has made them rethink their career path,” the survey said.

Pearson said in a statement on Wednesday that it conducted the survey during the pandemic in seven countries, including the US and India, in which 7,000 people ranging in age from 16 to 70, including more than 1,000 from India, participated.

Eighty-eight per cent of learners globally said online learning would be a permanent part of primary, secondary and higher education moving forward, the statement said.

“Seventy-seven per cent say the pandemic already has permanently changed the way people work, with 90 per cent saying people must become more comfortable working remotely and in highly digital environments. Eighty-two per cent say the pandemic will give rise to new kinds of jobs, and nearly three out of every four say it will result in rethinking of their career paths,” it was stated.

According to the survey, learners around the world see COVID-19 as a major turning point for modern education.

Learners in India want focus on digital education, soft skills and vocational education to make them job-ready, it revealed.

The survey shows that learners globally believe it is unlikely there would be a return to the pre-COVID world of entirely full-time in-person work and learning.