Jammu: Principal Secretary, Skill Development Department (SDD), Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon, today chaired a meeting to review the status of skill mapping of youth in Jammu and Kashmir by UNICEF at the Civil Secretariat.
During the discussion, the meeting was informed that UNICEF, through different programs, has been focusing across India and several other countries on skill building, adolescent development and participation besides 21st century skills primarily focusing on soft skills, highly demanded in the current scenario.
It was informed that UNICEF through its J&K outpost has proposed initiation of skill mapping in J&K considering the excellent initiatives undertaken by the Department of Skill Development, J&K.
The meeting was further apprised that collaborating on “YuWaah” program in J&K to focus its efforts in India under three primary heads viz building pathways for 100 million young people to inspirational economic opportunities and facilitation of 200 million young people to gain relevant skills for productive lives and the future of work.
The Principal Secretary said that the Skill Development Department has sought inputs from Higher Education, School Education, Social Welfare and Tribal Affairs departments before the approval from the concerned quarter. He asked the concerned departments to submit their valuable suggestions regarding improvement in the skill development program and find out the area specific needs.
The Principal Secretary also asked them to tie up for a long term partnership with UNICEF to create such a platform for youth of JKUT to enhance their skills so that they can compete at every level.
Among others, Director, Skill Development Department, Sudershan Kumar, representatives of Higher Education, Social Welfare, School Education and Tribal Affairs departments besides representatives of UNICEF attended the meeting while Kashmir and Delhi based officers participated online.
Later, Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon chaired another meeting of senior officers of SDD and representatives of PwC to review courses being offered by Polytechnics and ITIs of JK UT.
Threadbare discussions were held on progress achieved by PwC on consulting services for reviewing the courses being offered by Polytechnics and Industrial Training Institutions (ITI) of J&K.
While discussing the issues, Director, PwC, Ranjan Mathur, gave a powerpoint presentation regarding Trade Rationalization and Planning for long term and short term courses besides institutional capacity analysis of Polytechnics and ITIs.
