Kathmandu: Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has inaugurated ‘Skill Fair 2024′ today, coinciding with International Workers’ Day. The initiative, aimed at addressing the growing gap between demand and supply of skilled labor, intends to offer free vocational training to 2,081 individuals.
Sunita Dangol, the deputy mayor of KMC, emphasized the necessity of bridging this gap by aligning skilled manpower with employers’ requirements. She highlighted the significance of transitioning individuals from the informal sector to the formal economy through skill-based training.
“The goal of the training is to demonstrate the myriad opportunities for employment within the country, facilitating a shift from the informal to the formal sector by imparting essential skills,” Deputy Mayor Dangol stated. “Participants will be offered employment, self-employment, or On the Job training (OJT),” she added.
Deepak Adhikari, co-spokesperson for KMC, announced that individuals who missed filling out the online form for training can do so at the venue. He emphasized the aim of integrating education with skills and labor with production to enhance employability and income generation.
Over the course of one month, 2,081 participants will undergo training in high-demand professions, facilitated by collaborations with various institutions and organizations including HISSAN, CNI, FP-TEN, Glocal, Sipradi Trading, CCTV Station, and Smart Home.
Engineer Shailendra Jha, a member of the Urban Planning Commission, highlighted the collective effort of employers, educational institutions, and the social sector towards a common goal.
As part of the Metropolitan Pride Project, more than 34 vocational training projects are underway, including a Cyber Security program expected to benefit 4000 individuals. The initiative aims to raise awareness about professional skills, facilitate community-level training, and enhance youth capacity for employment and entrepreneurship.
Ten areas have been earmarked for training at the Skill Fair, encompassing 29 types of vocational training. Additionally, plans are in place to expand the scope based on demand. The culmination of the training will see a job fair where employers will have stalls, providing an avenue for trained individuals to interact with potential employers, showcasing their skills and qualifications.