Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Skill Development Mission has initiated the process for much required “Youth Aspiration Survey” and “Skill Gap Survey” which will enable the Government and stakeholder departments and organizations to re-orient the skill initiatives as per youth aspirations and market requirements.
In order to provide impetus to the efforts of the UT Government in providing skilling opportunities to the youth, J&K Skill Development Mission (JKSDM) has started the process of empanelment of reputed consultancy organization to formulate Skill Policy for J&K. The process shall include conducting job market and skill gap survey, youth aspirational survey which will lead to the development of the UT level Skill Policy.
Secretary, Tribal Affairs Department and Managing Director J&K Skill Development Mission, Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary informed that Government intends to take all skill development stakeholders on board and conduct a grassroots level study to gain in-depth understanding of the existing skill ecosystem and analyze the demand and supply dynamics of the skilled labour market, youth aspirations and industry requirements. The skill gap survey and youth aspiration survey will serve as a precursor to setting J&K’s first Youth Placement Cell which is envisaged under Mission Youth, J&K in coordination with various stakeholders in government and private sector.
The skill gap study will estimate demand and supply of skills at ground level and convert the gap in supply into a UT and district level action plan. It will also prioritize the sectors for skilling in J&K that can provide employment to the local youth, categorize job roles that are in high demand in these priority sectors and classify skills that are required by the industry/employers for these job roles.
The youth aspiration surveys through focus group discussions shall be conducted in each district to understand the skilling and learning aspirations of the region’s youth, their preference for various types of jobs and location, employment in J&K and outside. The surveys shall also capture the willingness of youth to migrate outside the district, UT and country and identify top industrial and employment hubs preferred by the youth of J&K.
“The skill policy shall include best global practices and provide skill roadmap on enhancing the overall skill landscape of J&K. It will guide us in formulating future strategies to improve the employability prospects of the youth, and simultaneously create self/wage employment opportunities for the youth,” added Dr. Shahid.
Through various interventions, the Mission is trying to bridge the skill gaps and create conducive environment for creating employment and engagement opportunities of the youth.
In yet another initiative, last week, the Mission also undertook the process of creation of UT level MIS (Management Information System) which will contain all the relevant information about the programs being implemented by various skill implementing departments and will highlight the skill development initiatives being taken by the Government.
