How to Prepare Yourself for the Changing Job Market: A Real Talk for Today’s Employees

Gone are the days when one degree could carry you through your entire career. In today’s job market, even experienced employees need to work on themselves regularly if they want to stay relevant. I’ve seen it first-hand — even talented professionals get left behind simply because they didn’t upgrade their skills or mindset. Why You

Why You Can’t Just “Settle” in a Job Anymore

Whether you’re in your first job or fifth, there’s one thing you need to keep in mind — the job world is moving fast. Companies now want more than just experience or qualifications. They want flexibility, problem-solving skills and a readiness to learn new things.

I’ve had discussions with HRs and team leads from different industries, and the common complaint is: people stop learning after getting a stable job. That attitude no longer works. Upskilling has become part of survival now, not just career growth.

Here’s What Today’s Employees Must Focus On

1. Work on your soft skills regularly
Good communication, teamwork, adaptability — these are not just HR words. These are the real skills that help you work with people, manage clients, and stay calm during tough projects.

2. Don’t ignore technical knowledge
Even if you’re not from a technical background, you should understand the basic tools used in your field. For example, a content writer should know how SEO works. A finance person should be familiar with Excel automation or simple analytics dashboards.

3. Stay curious and ask questions
I’ve personally seen that people who ask questions in meetings or training sessions end up learning faster. Curiosity is a powerful skill that shows you care about your work and want to grow.

4. Keep updating your resume and LinkedIn
Even if you’re not actively looking for a job, keep your professional profile ready. You never know when a better opportunity may come knocking.

Build the Right Attitude to Succeed

Being successful at work today is not just about intelligence or degrees. It’s about having a positive mindset and willingness to change. Accept feedback, take new challenges without hesitation, and don’t wait for your boss to push you — be proactive.

Training sessions, workshops, and even self-learning through free platforms can help you build confidence. And remember, the best investment you’ll ever make is in yourself.

Final Words

If you’re someone who’s been feeling stuck in your job, maybe it’s time to stop blaming the system and start working on yourself. Change may not be comfortable, but it’s necessary. You don’t have to do everything at once. Just start small — one skill, one improvement, one mindset shift at a time. That’s all it takes to stay future-ready.

Pragati 2025 Begins: A New Push to Connect Education with Jobs in Karnataka

The Karnataka government has launched Pragati 2025, a new programme focused on bridging the growing gap between classroom learning and real-world job skills. The initiative will work across schools, colleges, and industries to improve employability among students and equip them with the right mix of academic knowledge and practical experience. Pragati 2025 is not just

The Karnataka government has launched Pragati 2025, a new programme focused on bridging the growing gap between classroom learning and real-world job skills. The initiative will work across schools, colleges, and industries to improve employability among students and equip them with the right mix of academic knowledge and practical experience. Pragati 2025 is not just another education policy—it is a targeted plan to match what is taught in institutions with what the market actually needs.

I am writing about this because I believe this is the kind of change our education system badly needs. For too long, students have been getting degrees without skills, and employers have been struggling to find job-ready candidates. As someone who keeps track of education reforms and youth employment issues, I see Pragati 2025 as a step in the right direction. It focuses not only on skill-building, but also on bringing together educators, government, and industries to work as a team. This is why it’s important for parents, students, and teachers alike to understand what this programme is all about.

What Is Pragati 2025?

Pragati 2025 is a state-level roadmap launched by the Government of Karnataka to align the education sector with future job markets. It is part of a broader skill development push and will work in coordination with the National Education Policy (NEP) and existing skilling schemes.

The main aim of Pragati 2025 is to:

Make education more practical and job-oriented
Help students from schools and colleges get real exposure to work environments
Reduce the skill mismatch that is currently common in many sectors
Partner with industries and tech firms to bring in-demand skills into the curriculum

This plan will be rolled out gradually with specific focus on high-demand sectors like IT, electronics, healthcare, hospitality, and construction.

Key Features of the Programme

What makes Pragati 2025 different is its focus on collaboration. It is not limited to a single department—it brings together education, higher education, skill development, labour, and industries departments.

Some highlights include:

Career Awareness Programmes in high schools and PU colleges
On-the-job training and internships for college students
District-level skill gap surveys to understand local employment needs
Faculty training to help teachers stay up to date with changing job trends
Industry tie-ups to develop updated training modules

Government officials have also said that emphasis will be placed on Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, where access to quality skill education is usually limited.

How It Will Work at the Ground Level

At the heart of Pragati 2025 is the plan to make changes visible in classrooms and training centres. The state will set up District Skill Development Cells (DSDCs) that will track the implementation of the plan.

Here’s how it will work:

In Schools: Career counselling and life skills sessions from Class 9 onwards
In Colleges: Students will be offered electives and practical modules linked to local industry
At Skill Centres: Courses aligned with actual job demand—short term, modular, and practical
In Rural Areas: Mobile skill units and outreach camps to train students and dropouts

Students will also be guided towards job fairs, placement drives, and entrepreneurship training. This is to ensure that learning does not end with a certificate but continues until a job or livelihood is secured.

Why This Matters Now

The current situation across India shows a clear disconnect. Lakhs of students graduate every year, but many of them either remain unemployed or settle for low-paying jobs that do not match their education. Employers, on the other hand, say that finding skilled candidates is a big challenge—even for entry-level roles.

Some data to understand the gap:

Indicator	Value
Unemployment among educated youth in India (2023)	Over 17%
College graduates in Karnataka yearly	Approx. 7.5 lakh
Skilled candidates as per employer surveys	Only 45% job-ready

This is exactly the problem Pragati 2025 is trying to fix.

Role of Industry and Private Sector

Private companies and industry associations are being asked to partner actively in this initiative. They can help in designing short courses, offering internships, sponsoring training labs, and even hiring directly from government-supported programmes.

Some expected partners include:

IT and software companies in Bengaluru
Manufacturing clusters in Peenya and Dharwad
Hospitality groups in Mysuru and Coorg
Healthcare institutions in Mangaluru and Hubballi

The government has promised ease of collaboration and regular review meetings to keep the programme moving in the right direction.

What Students and Parents Should Know

If you’re a student or parent reading this, here are some things to keep in mind:

Don’t just chase degrees—check what skills are needed for your career goals
Look for opportunities to join short courses, projects, or industry-linked internships
Stay informed about job trends—Pragati 2025 will soon have online updates and student dashboards
Teachers and career counsellors in your area may also receive special training under this scheme

It’s a good time to make use of this new model while it’s being shaped.