Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan has launched the National Apprenticeship Mela at across more than 700 locations in the country. Over 4000 organizations from more than 30 industries, including power, retail, telecommunications, IT/ITeS, electronics, automotive, and others, participated in the event.
The apprenticeship fair will be held every month and aims to engage over 10 lakh trainees, the minister has said. “Going forward the PM National Apprenticeship Mela will be a monthly affair. A digital dashboard will be set-up to further streamline the apprenticeship process and connect our youth with relevant opportunities in the 21st century. Our endeavor will be to ensure that more than 10 lakh trainees engage with corporates as apprentices and capitalize on this opportunity to earn while they learn and find their gateway into the industry,” he further added.
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Individuals who have cleared classes 5 to 12, a skill training certificate, an ITI diploma, or a graduate degree are eligible to participate in the apprenticeship fair. Young and aspiring workforce have been given a choice of over 500 trades, including welder, electrician, housekeeper, beautician, mechanic, and others. They were given on-the-spot apprenticeship offers with monthly stipends as per the government standards.
“The main objective of this program was to encourage the hiring of approximately one lakh apprentices and to assist employers in identifying and developing their potential through training and practical skillsets,” reads the official press release.
Following, they will get monthly stipend as per the government standards for developing new skills, an opportunity to earn while they learn. The candidates will get certificates, recognized by National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), increasing the chances of their employability after the training.
“After 34 years we have a New Education Policy in Place which is a roadmap for India’s transformation in this AmritKaal. Academic credit will be awarded to apprentices which can be used for future pathways. We have to make apprenticeship a participatory movement to skill, re-skill and up-skill young India, boost per capita economic productivity and drive national missions,” Pradhan said.
Small-scale industries with minimum four working members can also hire apprentices at the event. A credit bank concept will also be introduced soon which will have depositary of various credits accumulated by learners that they can use for future academic pathways.
Speaking on the occasion, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, said, “Apprenticeship is one of the most sustainable models and the concept is central to create an enabling partnership between government, skill delivery ecosystem and employment ecosystem. Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has brought in comprehensive reforms to the Apprenticeship Act and the Apprentices Rules in 2014 & 2015 and now it should be taken as a dynamic evolving platform to connect the skilling ecosystem to both who are getting skilled and those seeking skilled talent . The Apprenticeship model should also be taken as an important feedback mechanism from the industry to make the ecosystem more demand driven and impactful. PM National Apprenticeship Melas will serve as a strong platform to connect industry with youth.”
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