Guwahati, June 27: The Assam government is taking initiatives to upgrade skills and improve professionalism of cab drivers, hotel staff and jeep safari drivers, who generally are the first points of contact for tourists to the state.
In one such initiative, the Assam Skill Development Mission (ASDM) in collaboration with Ideal Abhijan organised a skill training programme to empower 100 cab drivers. The initiative was aimed at focusing specifically on improving their communication and interpersonal skills along with digital-financial literacy, knowledge of tourist places of Assam, guidelines of transportation and other skill development initiatives, which are crucial for success in their profession.
Attending the valedictory ceremony of the training programme at LGBI Airport here on Tuesday, Assam minister of skill, employment, and entrepreneurship Jayanta Mallabaruah appreciated the hard work of the taxi drivers involved in the programme, emphasizing the potential benefits the initiative holds for their future success.
In his address, the minister said that drivers play a crucial role in creating the first impression of a place for tourists as they serve as the initial point of contact for tourists, providing them with a clear image of the place they are about to explore.
“Therefore, it’s very important for the drivers to be equipped with the knowledge of our state along with different interpersonal skills and this platform will definitely enhance those skills,” Mallabaruah said.
“Every year, we have a target for 10000 skilling programmes, and everyone should work to develop personal skills,” he said, while urging the trainees to provide their feedback to enable the department to work on its future strategy.
The minister also urged the trainees to take the responsibility of making the airport a beautiful place and be a responsible representative of our state.
“The state government has already started a variety of skilling programmes for hotel staff, jeep safari drivers of Kaziranga National Park, street food vendors, etc.,” he added.