Skill fair organized by KMC attracts thousands of youths

By Pratima Sapkota

Kathmandu Metropolitan City has launched a skill fair at Tundikhel Open Ground starting from May 1 with a view to generating employment among the Nepalese youths at a time when daily more than 2,000 unemployed people are heading towards the Gulf region in search of foreign jobs. Trainings related to 29 professions under ten different categories are currently being imparted at the skill fair or Sheep Mela at Tundikhel.

Classes are being conducted every day from 8 am in three shifts. Along with the training, the grouping of the applicants and the entry of the details of those who filled the paper form into the computer is now being done. For those who find it difficult to fill the form online, arrangements were made to fill the form on paper from the ward. Along with this, a large number of participants who came to Tundikhel on the opening day requested for training opportunities and were given the opportunity to fill the form from there.

The training programme is being organized under the KMC’s Pride Project (Gaurav Yojana) with the slogan ‘Increase Employment and Income, Prosperity of Kathmandu,’ according to Ajay Poudel, training coordinator at the KMC. In the first phase we are planning to impart training to 2 thousand 81 people, he informed.

The trainings are related to high demand profession and it is totally free of cost, he added “Ten broad areas have been identified for training in the skill fair. There will be 29 sub categories of professional training under this.” According to Poudel there is a plan to add more fields and occupations based on demand.

Auto Mobiles is the first category of training that has just started at the skill fare. It includes auto air conditioning, motorbike/scooter repair (EV) and electrical car repair (EV). The second is the construction sector. It has mason, tile and marble fitter, electrician and plumbing training. The hospitality and management comes under third category. The sub-categories include barista, food and cook, baker, waiter and bar tender. Information and Technology is the fourth sector. Under which comes, digital marketing, graphics designing, computer hardware and networking, CCTV camera repair training. The fifth category is related to mechanical training which includes training for welding and refrigerator and AC technicians. There will be training in Art and Sculpture in Art and Culture under sixth category. Garments comes under seventh category. It will have tailoring/dress maker and fashion designing classes as sub-categories. The eighth category is Beautician, which includes ail art, make up art, eyelash art, haircut/  style, and salon training. The ninth category is about designing. There will be sign making training. Under tenth category courses related with priest and astrology are taught.

A job fair will e organized at the end of the training session, according to Paudel. This will help the trainees to find a suitable job for them after completing the training programme, he added. On this day, the employers will be invited, according to Paudel. “The trainees will contact the respective employers and tell them about their skills.” Many unemployed people will be able to get employment from this place. There is a plan to provide job oriented training to at least 5,000 people within a year and this will continue for the next three years, he informed.

People who have completed 18 years of age and do not exceed 58 years of age are eligible to participate in the training. There is no pre-qualification for joining the training. The duration for some training is 15 days while for others it is one month. “People are lacking their skill if they will able to get skill from here it will be easy to live their life and earn money”.

The training will help people either to find a job or to start their own business.

According to Paudel “there are some norms of KMC to select the trainees. First priority is given to KMC citizens, second priority is given to people living near the dumping sites and third priority is for people living in rented house within KMC and who are paying tax to the metropolis. The people from Bagmati province will get fourth priority while the last priority is given Nepalese citizen living in any part of the country” according to Paudel.