As part of World Youth Skills Day celebration, a grand function was organized by state’s Technical Education Department here. Secretary Technical Education, Youth Services & Sports Mr. Hirdesh Kumar was the chief guest while Director Technical Education was the guest of honors, besides, President Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) Mr. Muhammad Ashraf Mir, prominent trader Mr. Shakeel Ahmad Kalander, officers and functionaries of Technical Education department and students in large number were present on the occasion.Speaking on the occasion, the Secretary Technical Education said that efforts are under way to develop, upgrade and diversify Industrial Training Courses in a big way, to meet out the present day requirements of day today life. He said State government is providing skill based knowledge to over 20000 youth annually in different trades at 88 Industrial Training Institutes working in the state .He said, “we will plan a trekking for at least 5 years to check whether the pass outs of Industrial Training Institutes are absorbed in government, private sector or taking entrepreneurship to earn their livelihood.”
The Secretary said that there is a dire need to maintain respect and dignity of skilled persons in the civil society and all the stakeholders should do their bit in this regard. He pointed an example of “barber “and said that it could best be known as” beauty parlor” to come out of social stigma. He said other like professions and trades are being diversified to achieve better results in the field.Director Technical Education gave a brief about different schemes and programmes of Industrial training Institutions. He said the department has started divisional level competition tests among I T I student to inculcate a sense of competition among them , adding that during current year 1854 such students participated in the Institutional level tests, of which 58 trainees qualified for top three slots in 20 different trades. President FCIK and other prominent traders spoke on the occasion and gave their suggestions for further improving the skill development programme in the state.Later, the students who had got 58 topper positions in different trades were given away cash prizes and certificates as a mark of felicitation. Certificates were also given to participant students.