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The Employers' Federation of Southern India (EFSI)
"Implementing the Skills Training Activities for Youth in Kancheepuram District of Tamil Nadu, India"
India has experienced strong economic growth for more than a decade; however, such growth has not benefitted all segments of the population equally. In southern India, urban centres have grown rapidly creating employment for their residents but also drawing in migrants from rural areas. Many of the migrants are young people who possess few of the skills, businesses are looking for and as a result they often find it difficult to secure employment. To help increase the employment prospects of the youth of Kancheepuram District, a "Youth Employment and Social Dialogue" Project was launched in May 2008 designed to address the challenges of youth employment while improving industrial relations.
The overall aim of the project is to increase the employment opportunities for the Youth of the Kancheepuram District though skills training and social dialogue. Exploratory meeting were held with the relevant stakeholders in May-June to investigate the areas of skills requirements of local employers, the future possibilities for employment, and the courses available at various vocational training institutions in the district. As a result it was decided, offering short term training programmes in the Government-recognized but private-run Polytechnic Colleges would be the best option. Five different Polytechnic Colleges, functioning under Directorate of Technical Education, under Government of Tamil Nadu were thus selected to develop and deliver a 6-month training course for 280 youth (100 of whom are girls) in the following trades:
- Fitting
- Welding and drilling
- Two/three wheeler mechanism
- Electrician and house wiring
- Tailoring and garment making
- Data entry operation
- Air conditioner technician
In addition to the above subjects, the project will also introduce training modules on Social Dialogue, Entrepreneurship, Productivity, Globalisation and Competitiveness. Apart from the normal skill training, it is planned to introduce the trainees to entrepreneurship skills also, with an aim to encourage approximately 25 interested youth to take up self employment ventures. The trainees, who will be up to 24 years old and have a minimum qualification of Standard 8, will be recommended for training by employers, trade unions, local employment exchanges and village administration.
The trainees who pass the above skills courses will receive Government certification from the Directorate of Technical Education. These certificates will enable them to register with the Government Employment Exchanges also.
The project will also support the expansion of an apprenticeship program in an effort to help young people develop work skills while at the same time providing a pool of trained workers ready for recruitment by employers facing a skills crunch. The project aims to place around 255 trained young people within relevant industries through two placement fairs.
In another initiative under the project, based on the recommendation of stakeholders, a consultant is currently engaged in a study of the Laws relating to Apprenticeship in India. This study is undertaken to ascertain the relevance and effectiveness of the laws pertaining to apprenticeship in the "post economic liberalization environment" - post 1990, and also make recommendations for amendments/revisions to the legislation to promote apprenticeship training by private sector enterprises as an effective means to develop youth skills and employability. The study once finalized will be presented to the social partners and other stakeholders for further consultation and for representations to the authorities on required policy/legislative changes. The study is being conducted within the state of Karnataka in concurrence with the Karnataka Employers' Association.
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