Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Aide et Action
Friday, February 12, 2010 07:26 PM IST (01:56 PM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, People, Social issues; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Education & training
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Aide et Action South Asia Convention on Youth Highlights New Challenges and Commitment of Youth From India, Sri Lanka (post conflict) and Nepal - Covering 300 million Unemployed Working Age Population into the New Economy
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Friday, February 12, 2010 -- (Business Wire India) -- Aide et Action South Asia convention on Youth highlights new challenges and commitment of youth from India, Sri Lanka (post conflict) and Nepal - covering 300 million unemployed working age population into the new economy.
The 11th Plan approach paper projects that 40 million jobs will be created by Services sector by 2020 and NASSCOM reports 1.18 million jobs were created in 2008 in the ITES-BPO sector in India. India lacks trained and skilled technicians as only 1.5 to 2 million (2 per cent) students in the age group of 15 - 25 are enrolled in Vocational trainings every year as against 80 per cent in Europe and 60 per cent in East Asian nations. Millions of unemployed youth, particularly from the rural and semi-urban background, who cannot access higher professional education but are oriented towards white-collar jobs, are driven to despair by being jobless. According to the India Labour report, about 53 per cent of the employed youth suffer some degree of skill deprivation and 8 per cent of the youth remain unemployed.
In the fast changing economy, a major gap in the whole process is the inadequacy to meet the demands for skilled human resources. If on one hand, the growing economy is creating numerous employment opportunities for skilled and employable human resources in the growth sectors, on the other hand there is a huge gap of skill development trainings. With limited opportunities of employment and diminishing livelihoods, the situation is far more worst in rural areas especially for youth belonging to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes and other backward caste groups.
Aide et Action (AEA) South Asia in its pursuit of meeting the livelihoods challenges is been working on changing the vocational education training in South Asia to meet the new industry needs. AEA has trained nearly 70,000 youths on various employable and entrepreneurship skills since 2006 in collaboration with Government of India and leading International corporate groups such as Microsoft, L'Oreal, Schneider Electric, TATA power and Hindustan Unilever. The programme is aimed at enabling school dropout youth in the age group of 18 to 25 years from marginalized sections of society to gain sustainable and dignified livelihood through employability training in various trades.
Inaugurating the event Ms Claire Calosci, Director General AEA International highlighted the, need to create opportunities for youth to realize their potential and participate in new economy and applauded the initiative in South Asia, which will be learning for many other countries of the world, more particularly in Africa and Latin America. Mr.Jacques Lemarechal Member, International Board AEA advocated for enhancing capabilities and capacities to improve vocational training in third world to facilitate youth into productive areas of work. "Nepalese youth especially girls are forced into sex work by criminal gangs in both India and Nepal due to failure of government in creating adequate employment opportunities. "The armed conflict in Nepal has attracted many unemployed youth as it is quick way of achieving adulthood", said Prof Kedar Mathema, a noted thinker from Nepal. According to Prof.Rajeev Wijesinha Secretary Disaster Management and Human Rights, Government of Sri Lanka, around 80 percent of tamil population returned to villages after conflict and we look forward to improving vocational training to ensure that youth gain employable and entrepreneur skills. Ravi Pratap Singh Regional Director South Asia said, "The government should proactively promote vocational education programmes with wider perspective, so that the youth are not just get employed but they also contribute back to their neighbourhood and larger society, by leading the social change process..
"I would have been another unfortunate girl destined to be housewife, but for iLEAD. I am not only able to support my family after my father's death but ensuring that my younger sister completes her schooling", said Reenakumai from Samastipur Bihar. Asin, a transgender from Tamilnadu said, vocational training has not only built my confidence but also made me realize that even we can live with dignity and pride.
Microsoft, L'Oreal, Schneider Electrical and Indian companies TATA Power and Minsitry of Rural Development are partners in reaching out to over 70000 youth across South Asia. To improvise the capacity and capability of the vocational training in India, AEA has initiated a project in the state of Andhra Pradesh in partnership with European Commission. AEA South Asia is also supporting the government of Punjab in developing its 20-year vision document and infrastructure development plan for the employment generation sector.
Required changes in current Vocational training programmes being run by various governments were discussed during the convention and highlighted the following:
--Reforming of current vocational education system and institutions in the country to meet the market driven employability opportunities and enhance opportunities for short term courses
--According to Planning Commission Report (2005) only 40% of 55000 instructors have undergone training in industrial training institutes. Strengthening of social and physical infrastructure in the training institutions is required on a war footing.
--Engaging industry in the training and placement process that require pro active involvement of government agencies at micro level.
--In India 153 courses are recognized where as 2495 courses are offered around the world. Introduction of short term courses in the realm of growth sectors of employment to be introduced and redundant and incompatible courses to be shelved
--Critical engagement of civil society groups engaged in the activity and corporate in the curriculum development
--A meagre 2% of the Indian work force is vocationally qualified against 65% in Germany and between 75 and 80% in the USA, EU and China. Opening up of skill development centres under a flexi mode process to provide support and enhance skills of the unorganised workers, amongst the youth.
--As per Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of India only about 3 per cent in the rural areas and 6 per cent in the urban areas received formal vocational training in the age groups of 15-29 years with educational level middle and above but below graduate. Mass campaign process in rural areas on importance of vocational education / skill development training and employability opportunities
CONTACT DETAILS
Vishy Head Communication, Aide et Action, +91 9440801759, Vishy@aea-southasia.org
KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, PEOPLE, SOCIAL, MARKETING, EDUCATION
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