Skill Census data expected to benefit many for a lifetime: Lokesh
Vijayawada:Education and IT Minister Nara Lokesh has directed officials to prepare for the launch of a Skill Census programmme across the state in the near future.
During a review meeting he held on Friday, the minister discussed the methodologies for implementing the pioneering Skill Census. He emphasized the need for a more meaningful and accessible Skill Census by incorporating experiences from the skill assessments conducted in Mangalagiri.
The data collected through the Skill Census is intended to provide lifelong benefits for the youth. Minister Lokesh insisted on gathering data from both organised and unorganised sectors. He said the Telugu Desam office was already providing training to youths, funded by their own resources, which created employment opportunities for skilled workers.
He proposed adopting this model for conducting training programmes via OMCAP to help youth secure jobs abroad.
Minister Lokesh notes that there is demand for skilled workers not only in Arab countries but also in the European and South East Asian nations. If local training programmes are organised based on the specific needs of those countries, it could create job opportunities for up to 200,000 individuals abroad, he felt.
He suggested that language training in German and Japanese should also be provided to students enrolled in various government colleges to augment their employability.
Lokesh stressed the importance of equipping youth with cutting-edge technologies and advanced technical skills that meet international demand. After the completion of the Skill Census, efforts will be made to motivate youth to pursue skill development training in areas of their interest, he said.
“The main objective of the Skill Census is to achieve the target of creating 2 million jobs in the state over the next five years and to economically empower poor and middle-class families,” he said.
The meeting was attended by skill development secretary Kona Shashidhar and other officials involved in skill development initiatives.
