Bhubaneswar: Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is organising ‘Skill Saathi Youth Conclave’ here February 25 to create awareness about various programmes under Skill India Mission.
Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan will be addressing the youth in Odisha through videoconferencing at 427 locations/blocks, covering 30 districts in the state.
An estimated 2.5 lakh youths will be mobilised within the state for this event.
Skill Saathi is a career counselling initiative of the National Skill Development Corporation, under the aegis of MSDE, to create awareness about the Skill India Mission and guide candidates by providing them with information on career paths and opportunities.
Skill Saathis provide information on vocational education and available market opportunities, facilitate psychometric testing and conduct face-to-face counselling interventions to guide aspirants to make the right choice of training and subsequent employment/entrepreneurship.
Official sources here said currently, 10 Counselling Implementing Organisations (CIOs) empanelled under the ‘Skill Saathi’ initiative in Odisha aim to mobilise candidates and organise counselling activities.
In the last three months, Skill Saathi has counselled more than 10 lakh candidates across the country, guiding the youth on the course of planning what they should adapt while planning their career.
The Skill Saathi model was created to disseminate information on vocational education and available market opportunities among the youths.
Key achievements of Skill Saathi Career Counselling scheme include creation of capacity building workshops across 29 states that have witnessed participation of more than 450 Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras (PMKKs) and Counselling Implementing Organisations along with hosting booths at Rozgar Melas held across the country. Skill Saathi has also partnered with Army schools, Kendriya Vidyalayas, colleges and NGOs to create awareness among the young brigade.
In addition, training has been conducted for 650 master trainers across states for counselling in their region. Currently, there are 520 Counselling Implementing Organisations (CIOs) empanelled by NSDC for executing counselling sessions effectively and creatively to engage the youth.
The qualitative counselling sessions aim to counsel candidates in the age group of 15-35 years and steer them towards becoming ‘Empowered Drivers of Change’. The focus lies on school and college students along with dropouts, young adults from the community, students from colleges, polytechnic, ITI, diploma-holders, graduates and post-graduates.