JAY JOSHI
The society as well as industry today is facing a number of issues such as unemployment, employability, the gap between industry and academics. A good way to address the problem could be to integrate the people who have performed vocationally in the industry into academics as teachers, said Partho Chokrabarti, managing director of Faber Castell India. Chakrabarti was interacting with The Goan on the sidelines of the finale of Art of Purpose event that recently concluded in Goa.
“I do believe that people who have performed vocationally should be made a part of academic faculty. That way, when they make a point, they command more credibility. When a person from the industry says. ‘We were sitting in this room and this is how we made a decision; it brings more insight and weightage,” said the managing director, adding that he does not mean to downplay the theoretical part of education, but instead believes that there should be a right mix of practical and theory.
“We do see some practical people who throw the theory out, but that is also not good. The teachers are actually very good at telling us how things ‘should’ be done. It is good to blend that knowledge with how things actually happen,” averred Chakrabarti.
Along with education-industry gap, the rise of artificial intelligence and its impact on jobs is another key theme in the near future, and the advent of AI will only lead to human skill and creativity attracting more value, provided that it is developed in the right way, said the Faber Castell MD. “We do not have robot operating entire production plants just yet, but that is indeed a possibility in the future. In such a scenario, human creativity plays a key role in making a difference. When all routine tasks are being done by AI, the human mind will have to apply itself differently. Thus, creativity is the most valued skill for the future. It will play a role in human interactions, areas such as design etc. For this, it is important that we undertake exercises that boost creativity right from childhood, and that is exactly what we do here at Art for Purpose,” Chakrabarti elaborated.
While the advent of computers has changed the way stationary is used in offices, students and artists form the core of business at Faber Castell, he informed. “Digital has definitely affected stationary use in offices, but we make products that children and artists use-paper and pens. Paper and pen is how you develop motor skills. Aiding that process has been the focus at Faber Castell,” he stated.
