THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Labour Minister V Sivankutty on Monday announced that the state government will now grant accreditation to the best private skill development training institutions across the state.
However, this will not be a mandatory requirement for any institution, but will rather serve as a certificate of appreciation towards quality skill development. A comprehensive accreditation policy for this has already been formulated, the minister informed.
In addition to this, the Kerala Academy of Skill Education (KASE) will also launch a ‘KASE Quality Seal’ for the top institutions, which is touted to be a first-of-its-kind recognition by a state government, the minister said.
The government has also prepared a comprehensive database of all skill training institutions and the courses that they offer.
In light of the fraudulent practices and exploitations by unauthorised private foreign recruitment agencies, the minister also announced that KASE will directly engage in foreign recruitments by mediating discussions with foreign countries and agencies concerned regarding job opportunities there.
The academy has already sought a recruitment agency licence from the external affairs ministry, which is expected to be received by the month-end.
In an effort to coordinate the skill development efforts from different sides of the government, different departments utilising plan funds for skilling activities will be brought under one umbrella through ‘Smart Skill Budgeting’. KASE will also act as the facilitator, providing technical support towards this.
The state government will also do a skill gap study in each district to identify the employment challenges in each district.