Chief Minister said: Employment will come from skill, not government jobs

Chief Minister Umar Abdullah said that the government cannot provide government jobs to everyone. Therefore, it is necessary to make the youth skilled enough to compete in the job market. He laid the foundation stone for the development works of the Polytechnic in Srinagar and inaugurated the infrastructure upgrade costing Rs 4.20 crore.

Chief Minister Umar Abdullah said that preparing the youth according to the demands of the coming times is the highest priority. He directed officials to regularly review the courses of ITI and Polytechnic and to remove old machines and start new training according to the needs of modern industry.

He stated that employment opportunities are being created in Jammu and Kashmir due to large projects and new investments, so the skill ecosystem will be prepared according to the needs of these investments. Local youth will be given priority and companies will be encouraged to employ trained local youth before bringing skilled workers from outside.

On this occasion, students who secured placements abroad were honored, which was described as a success of technical education. Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Chaudhary, Chief Minister's advisor Nasir Aslam Wani, MLA Lal Chowk Sheikh Ahsan Ahmad, MLA Karnah Javed Ahmad Mirchal, Secretary Skill Development Kumar Rajiv Ranjan, Director Dr. Owais Ahmad, Principal Shafqat Ara along with faculty and students were present.

Officials said that in changing times, youth do not need to depend only on acquaintances and relatives for employment. The use of technology should not be limited to just job searching. Job fairs are an important milestone in the lives of youth and four mega job fairs are to be held this year.

Placement officer Shambhunath Sudhakar said that youth should try to connect with employment according to their qualifications and experience rather than making salary the primary issue initially. He advised youth not to be disappointed if opportunities do not come and to continue efforts in upcoming job fairs.

Skill development must go hand in hand with academic studies. Like the attention given to universities, attention must also be given to the skill development network, whether it is the building structure, quality of training, or modern equipment.

Courses of ITI and Polytechnic should be designed according to employment in sectors like tourism, agriculture, horticulture, manufacturing, construction, healthcare, and technology.

Today, information about employment opportunities can be obtained from home through newspapers, TV, mobile, internet, and new technology. Information related to employment and skill development can also be obtained through technologies like ChatGPT. A youth with skill, capability, and confidence can also establish their own employment.

Youth need to keep learning continuously and develop their skills. The era of relying only on school-college for learning is ending. Employment and experience gained here will increase their confidence and help determine the direction of their future. He advised youth to move forward by understanding workplace discipline, administrative arrangements, and responsibilities. Opportunities to advance may come based on skill and better performance.

If we want to prepare our children for the future, we must give them skills to compete in the job market, whether it is Jammu and Kashmir, any other part of the country, or abroad

Umar Abdullah, Chief Minister

Our goal should not only be to send labor outside, but to prepare such skilled professionals who can get higher-paying jobs and compete in the international market as well

Umar Abdullah, Chief Minister