The Jammu and Kashmir Skill Development Mission (JKSDM) today started cluster level skill competitions at Jammu and Srinagar under India Skills Competition, J&K-2018 for preparing candidates to represent the country at the World Skills Competition, Russia-2019.Considered as the Skills Olympics - the World Skills Competition - is held every alternate year in different countries. At the most recent event, World Skills Competition, 2017 held at Abu Dhabi, there were competitions in 51 skill areas with close to 1,300 youngsters taking part in it and India bagged one silver and a bronze medal along with 11 medallions of excellence. The next competition is scheduled to be held at Kazan, Russia in 2019.Mission Director, JKSDM Dr. Peer G.N. Suhail said, “the idea is to provide opportunities to the youth to showcase their talent and provide them much needed exposure to exhibit their skills at different levels.”JKSDM has received more than 700 applications in different 12 skill categories and today, more than 50 candidates participated in the Bakery, Cooking, Patisserie and Confectionery skill competitions at Institute of Hotel Management, Srinagar and JKSDM, Jammu Office.
Faculty, IHM-Srinagar Mohammad Yaseen Reshi said, “It is a positive sign that youth are taking up skills such as Cooking, Patisserie and Confectionery and it is our responsibility to nurture and guide them to compete at national and international level”.Entrepreneur and Owner Le-Delice French Bakery Mir Saqib said, “In international competitions such as this, the level of competition is tremendous and for that, we have to prepare the candidates beforehand. We should start preparing candidates for the 2021 Skill Competition from today itself so as to take advantage of an early start.”I am preparing for the skills competition since last one month and I am looking forward to participate in the competition and perform well,” said Gaurav, an aspirant.The cluster level competitions for rest of the skill categories would be held on April 24 and 25, 2018 at Jammu and Srinagar. The prestigious institutions such as NIT- Srinagar, IHM -Srinagar, Central University, Jammu, NIELIT, SSMD-Baramulla and Arena Animation would provide training and guidance to selected candidates for the next levels of the skill competition.