Why communication, guidance and practical exposure are becoming central to student success
Sashi Gundala of Aspiring Leaders India Foundation discusses why practical skills, communication, and career guidance matter for students
As conversations around employability shift from degrees to demonstrable skills, first-generation learners remain at the centre of an important question: what does it take to help students move from education to work with confidence? In this Q&A, Sashi Gundala, Director of Operations, Aspiring Leaders India Foundation, speaks about the role of skill development, English proficiency, and career navigation for students, especially those from rural and semi-urban backgrounds.
Q: What is the biggest challenge first-generation learners face when thinking about careers?
A: The main challenge is often not aspiration, but navigation. Many first-generation learners are highly motivated and clear that they want stability, dignity, and meaningful work. What they may not have is access to role models, professional networks, career maps, or practical guidance on how hiring works. Many students know they want to move forward, but they are not always sure how to turn ambition into a clear plan.
Q: Why does skill development matter so much for students today?
A: Skill development matters because employers are increasingly looking beyond academic qualifications alone. Technical knowledge is important, but it is often not enough by itself. Students also need communication, teamwork, adaptability, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. These are the qualities that help them perform well in interviews, internships, and entry-level jobs. For many students, especially outside metro cities, these are not always taught directly, so structured skilling becomes very important.
Q: Why can soft skills make a bigger difference for students from Tier II and Tier III areas?
A: For these students, soft skills are often the missing bridge between education and opportunity. Many metro students gain exposure to professional environments through schools, internships, English-speaking settings, or family networks. First-generation learners may not have that advantage. So when communication, confidence, and workplace behaviour are taught explicitly, the impact can be significant. It helps reduce the hidden disadvantages students face during interviews, discussions, and professional interactions.
Q: How does English proficiency affect first-generation learners?
A: English often plays a major role in formal employment because many jobs require interviews, emails, presentations, and workplace communication in English. For first-generation learners, this can become a barrier even when they are capable and knowledgeable. The issue is not intelligence, but familiarity and confidence. English proficiency can expand access to jobs, internships, and career growth, particularly in sectors such as services, technology, and corporate roles.
Q: What is the best way for students to improve English without fear?
A: Improvement usually comes through low-pressure, regular practice. Peer discussions, short presentations, group conversations, reading aloud, and structured feedback all help. The key is to create spaces where students feel respected while learning. When English is treated as a practical tool rather than a marker of social status, students become more willing to practice and improve. Confidence grows gradually through repetition and use.
Q: Are short-term skill programmes useful for students from limited-income families?
A: Yes, they can be very useful because many students cannot pause life for long training cycles. They may be balancing studies, part-time work, and family duties. Short, focused programmes can help them build resumes, interview readiness, portfolios, and practical confidence in a shorter period. That can make a real difference when students need quicker pathways into work.
Q: What should education systems do better for first-generation learners?
A: They need to make skill-building part of mainstream learning. That means more project work, presentations, applied communication, interview practice, mentoring, internships, and career guidance. It is also important to create support systems that explain the “rules” of professional life clearly, because not every student learns those informally at home.
Q: What is the larger message from these student experiences?
A: The message is that students have ambition. What they often need is structured support, practical skills, and confidence-building. When those are in place, first-generation learners are fully capable of succeeding in changing job markets.
