Srinagar: Advisor to Governor, Khurshid Ahmad Ganai Thursday emphasized on the need for upgradation of polytechnics and Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) to increase the job prospects of youth and to meet the skilled labour demand of industrial sector of State.
The Advisor Ganai said this in a pre-placement awareness cum counselling program, “Career Excellence” organized by Department of Technical Education in collaboration with Soz-e-Kashmir, here at SKICC on Thursday.
Secretary Technical Education Mohammad Javed Khan, Director Technical Education Anoo Malhotra, Hotelier and Chairman PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), Kashmir chapter Mushtaq Chaya, Managing Director Jamkash Vehicleades Irfan Ahmad, Chairman Soz-e-Kashmir Syed Burhan Andrabi along with huge gathering of students from ITIs and polytechnics of Valley, and entrepreneurs were present in the function.
Addressing the gathering, the Advisor said there is an urgent need for upgradation of ITIs and polytechnics in the State so that human resource trained from these centres could match with the latest demands of the industrial sector.
The Advisor said it would be unfair on the part of youth to expect them to start their own entrepreneurial venture when they are not getting trained in the latest technological sciences. He urged that the society has to prepare for the next industrial revolution and for that new training module including Artificial Intelligence, automation services etc should be looked into.
Ganai said besides, introducing new courses, the focus should also be laid on investing to improve the infrastructure in the State training centres. Students can learn better if they are provided with a conducive learning environment.
Ganai said although every now and then Government acquires land to create a land-bank so that industrial units are established there, however, not every business nowadays requires land for the establishment. He said these days entrepreneurs start their ventures from a single room or from a small shop and soon they turn it into a million-dollar business with their innovation and creativity.
Reiterating upon the youth to develop an entrepreneurial mindset, the Advisor said instead of running after public sector jobs, if youth with their skill set can start their own venture, they can not only provide job to themselves but to many others.
He said the State is fortunate enough to have 65 per cent of its population of the age group 35 years and below. Therefore, it is important to make best use of young and energetic human resource, he said.
Expressing his optimism for better job prospects for the State youth, the Advisor said with leading entrepreneurs of State assuring that they would adjust most of the skilled youth in their businesses, the prospects of mitigating the unemployment issue seems quite bright.
Earlier, Secretary Technical Education informed that in last two years 1500 state youth who had received training in various disciplines at various ITIs and polytechnics, were adjusted in the local industrial sector.
Speaking on the occasion, Director Technical Education talked about various initiatives taken by the department for ensuring the better job prospects for their students.
Hotelier Mushtaq Chaya thanked the Government for providing such kind of skilled workers to the industrial sector. He said there is a great demand for skilled labour in the State and to use their services industrialists, especially hoteliers, people with construction businesses are willing to pay good perks.
He requested the youth to give up their desire of a Government job and instead think about private sector, where a skilled person earns handsomely.
