Apprenticeship Mela By Skill India (2021)

In India, the low employment rate has been a persistent issue that escalated even further in the period of pandemic. Given the matter of fact, recently, on the 4th of October, a nationwide ‘Apprenticeship Mela’ by skill India was held in all 36 state governments, which overall was spread across 400 locations.

It was an event organised by Skill India, in collaboration with the Director-General of Training (DGT) and National Skill Development Corporation. The objective was to bring aspirants and employers to the same platform to meet and understand each other.

On one hand, the candidates got the chance to engage with the various organisations from various sectors. And on the other hand, employers got the opportunity to meet and select the right talent for their organisation. In short, the aim of the event was to support one lakh apprentices to get hired and also assist the employers to tap the right talent that they can develop further with training and providing practical skill sets.

From class 5th pass out to class 12th, certificate holders of skill training, ITI students, diploma holders and graduates were eligible to apply at the ‘Apprenticeship Mela’. And the potential applicants received benefits such as: The opportunity to get apprenticeships offered on the spot. The chance to get first-hand industry experience. Monthly stipends, an opportunity to earn while developing new skills. The surety to get a certificate from National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), after the completion of the training.

The organisations and companies got the chance to meet the potential labour market, from where they had the opportunity to select suitable candidates on the spot.

Other than the established organisations, small scale industries with a minimum of four members of staff also got the chance to hire apprentices at the event. And on the top, 25% of the stipend given to apprentices can be reimbursed through the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS).

The government considers apprenticeships a means to provide better employment to the skilled labour with decent compensation. Therefore, Hon’ble Prime Minister on July 15, 2015, launched the National Policy of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. There have been several other efforts taken by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

Knowing the significance of the initiative, more than 2000 companies participated in the apprenticeship mela, which are currently engaging in more than 30 sectors like Telecom, Retail, Power, Electronics, Automotives etc.

Our company ShramIN has also participated and explored possible opportunities. Through this event, we got the chance to interact with employers as well as the candidates from various walks of life. It became an opportunity to make people aware of our company’s profile and motive. The zeal and the enthusiasm we witnessed is a memory to be remembered. We hope to get engaged in many more similar events.