Holding general degree without adopting skilling training can be termed “uneducated” as the person will become misfit in this competitive era, said mission director for Manipur Society for Skill Development Luckyson Ngamsha Kashung.
Speaking during a one-day state level awareness on Apprenticeship held at Hotel Classic Grande in Imphal, the mission director stressed the need of skilling up or reskilling as well as changing the approach and attitude towards life to be a successful person.
The programme was organised by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship in collaboration with the Manipur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI).
Kashung said in the general view India is predicted to have a bright future, where the youth consisted of a huge junk of its population.
However, considering the percentage of its skilled people which is just five per cent, the faith of the country is in a very sorry state, he said, adding that the percentage might be even lower in Manipur which has a literacy per cent of almost 80.
Highlighting the objective oi the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) which aims to promote apprenticeship in the country by providing financial incentives, technology and advocacy support, he said that the scheme provides a sharing of 25 per cent of prescribed stipend subject to a maximum of Rs. 1500 per month per apprentice with the employers.
It also provides a sharing of basic training cost up to a maximum of Rs. 7,500 per apprentice, he added.
Pointing out that Manipur lacks in approaching the far off-grid places in aspects of any awareness, he appealed to the ministry representatives to take the awareness on schemes like NAPS with a mission mode so that it reaches out till the last mile.
In his speech, president of MCCI, Th Dhabali, pointed out that nearly eight lakh educated youths in the state are facing the wrath of unemployment due to lack of skill training.
On the other hand, white collar jobs in the state are very limited for solving the issue of unemployment, he said the only ultimate solution to unemployment is self-employment.
So, in self-employment, there comes the need of skill training, followed by apprenticeship, he added.
Dhabali said, in short, apprenticeship is the last step for an individual in preparing to become an employable person in this present era.
That is why the central as well as the state government is giving special focus on skill training programmes and apprenticeship to end the problem of unemployment which is one of the most burning issues in India and particularly in Manipur.
The president also inculcated the need of conducting apprenticeship in every firm or company which has more than 30 employees. It is optional for a firm which has four to 29 employees and is not necessary for a firm which has three or less employees.
The programme was also attended by regional director of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship S Mathivanan and deputy director general of DGT, MSDE Sunil Kumar Gupta as presidium members.
