SHILLONG: A call to the youth of Meghalaya to open up their minds by venturing outside the state in search of greener pastures so that they can be equipped with required skills for employment was made on Monday by Principal Secretary, KN Kumar during a “rozgar mela” or job fair organised by National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) at Ramakrishna Mission Vivekanand Cultural Institute on Monday.
Kumar urged the youth to move out of the state to gain experience and return after gaining sufficient experience and to invest in enterprises and become “job creators instead of job seekers”.
“Don’t think that remaining in Meghalaya will open up your mind. The world is wide and the country is big,” he said adding that though he was born in a different state but has to serve in another state (Meghalaya).
“Today Meghalaya is my state, it is my home. I have adopted villages in Meghalaya also. I am outside my home state but I am inside the country and not abroad,” Kumar said.
Speaking about the job mela, Kumar said that youths need to have technical skills which will be necessary for them to get employment in the services sector.
According to Kumar, those skills will come in handy to prepare the youths for employment. The rojgar mela will be a platform where the job seekers (students) can interact with job providers as there should be enough jobs with matching skills.
Stalls were erected in a section of the premises of the RKM and inside the hall as well. Students were seen thronging the venue to get themselves acquainted with the potential employers.
Meanwhile, J Lyngwa, assistant director of employment, pointed out that government jobs have reached a saturation point.
With the holding of the job mela, she pointed out that knowledge and skills are key elements of an empowered life as it would be difficult to get employment without skills.
The Rozgar Mela saw participation from the youths and industries in huge numbers. Corporates from different sectors like Hospitality, BFSI, Automotive, Apparel, Security etc. participated and provided information to the candidates.
The one-day job fair and skill exhibition witnessed over 600 candidates of which over 121 candidates have been shortlisted by the corporates.
The skill exhibition provided the youth with the information pertaining to skill training courses and the new initiatives taken by the Skills Ministry to encourage youths to take up skills training to tap the potential of highly talented youths here.
