Assessment of Professional Skill Inventory and Gap Identification among Extension Personnel

Abstract

In an effort to identify specific training needs that are frequently overlooked by more comprehensive assessments, this study provides a rough assessment of the skills inventory and skill development requirements of extension professionals. It does this by breaking down advanced digital competencies essential to effective e-Extension services in the Indian context. Professionals with both contemporary digital and technical abilities and strong interpersonal skills are now essential for agricultural extension to be effective. The study was conducted in the Mau district of Uttar Pradesh using an ex post facto research design. Thirty extension workers from government organizations were chosen by purposeful random sampling and given a pre-tested, structured questionnaire to complete. Frequency, percentage, and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used to examine the results. The findings revealed that the majority of respondents were young, well-educated (66.67% were postgraduates; 50% had one year of experience), and had high interpersonal and communication skills (more than 90% reported strengths in listening, counseling, and problem-solving). There are significant gaps in advanced digital competencies, as evidenced by the fact that just 33.33% of respondents could design basic webpages, 20% had a basic understanding of coding, 10% had produced mobile apps, and 100% were unfamiliar with version control systems. Importantly, the study shows that although job experience and education are positively correlated with overall professional skills, they do not significantly reduce advanced digital skill gaps. This highlights a critical disconnect and emphasizes the special need for targeted ICT training separate from general professional development. Overall, the results emphasize the necessity of ongoing, rapid, practical ICT-focused training to build digital capacities and improve the efficacy and applicability of extension programs. This paper is significant because it tackles the increased demand for digital competence among rural extension workers in e-Extension. It identifies critical skill gaps, promotes future training and policy formulation, and serves as a solid framework for additional research on workforce preparedness, technology uptake, and capacity building in extension systems.