Speaking at a seminar organized by the Bharat Chamber of Commerce, an official from the Paschim Banga Society for Skill Development (PBSSD) on Wednesday announced a slew of proposals aimed at giving vocational training a fillip in the state. Among them was a website which will act as a platform for job seekers of all ages to find suitable skill development programmes, and subsequently, employment.
Those interested will be able to register on the website, key in their details, and enroll themselves for a programme of their choice. The site can also be used by companies to search for potential employees.
R N Bandopadhyay, officer on special duty, PBSSD, said, “The website is under construction and should be ready in about two months. Those who are already employed but want to enhance their skills will also be able to register themselves,” he told.
Bandopadhyay said that the PBSSD, chaired by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, was operating all non-institutional training programmes to ensure uniformity in curricula, infrastructure, delivery, assessment and certification. He stated that for the past three years, West Bengal had topped in terms of the performance of those training under their respective state governments’ skill development departments.
Bandopadhyay also said though the new government had set up several industrial training institutes (ITIs), a mental block among students had become an obstacle. “They (students) are not ready to take up these courses after passing Class X. They would rather continue their schooling and complete their graduation. When they are unable to find jobs, only then do they enroll in an ITI. This mindset needs to change and they should be counseled that if they join an ITI sooner, they can have bright career prospects,” he added.
On infrastructure, he said that there were 988 vocational training centres across the state, covering 48 sectors with 233 vocational training providers and a gross seating capacity of around 60,000.
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