CHENNAI: A job fair organised by the government for the flood affected had all types of offers on display – from those with remunerations beginning at Rs 6,000 a month to as much as Rs 30,000. Hosted at the D B Jain College in Thoraipakkam on Saturday, the fair saw over 195 organisations come forward for recruitment. From domestic work to front office jobs, there was a profile suiting almost every single person walking into the fair. More than 6,000 got themselves enrolled during the day-long event and 560 were offered on-the-spot jobs.
The panel of recruiting firms had many familiar names like India Cars, Hyundai and Eureka Forbes. They were hunting actively for all profiles – front office, back office, technical help etc. Also situated in one far corner was a first-time stall run by the Overseas Manpower Corporation, offering jobs in healthcare and manufacturing sectors in countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Dubai and Qatar. The stall was a hit – seeing over 55 registered candidates by afternoon itself. Job openings filled up at a fast clip at the fair, organised by the State Labour Department, the Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation and TN Slum Clearance Board.
According to officials, the fair had been organised to help rehabilitated flood victims and those already living in resettlement areas, most of which lie in remote parts of the city – Kannagi Nagar, Ezhil Nagar and Perumbakkam. Many non-degree holders queued up for jobs with consultancies and housekeeping agencies, while degree holders opted for pharma and IT sector jobs. “People from along the Adyar river region like Thideer Nagar, Athuma Nagar, Surya Nagar, who had lost their homes to flood waters, were specifically targeted for this job fair,” said an official of the State Labour Department.
The fair also saw a Skill Development stall, which offered aspirants free three-month training programmes in many fields – including retail management, animal husbandry, food processing, soft-skill training – after which they could take up jobs. Many women aspirants opted for tailoring and beautician courses while men chose computer and IT streams. The Central Institute of Plastics Engineering, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd, Central Footwear Training Institute and Construction Industry Development Council were some of the government bodies offering skill development to the people. In all, 32 different skill programmes specialising in 600 different trades were on offer.
India Realtors, Akash Hospitals, India Handicrafts and International Shipping Agency were also among the 190-odd stalls that were set up at the fair. The 560 candidates who were selected on the spot were given appointment orders by chief guests T K M Chinnaiah, Minister of Animal Husbandry, Member of Parliament J Jeyavardan, MLA K P Kandan and top officials from the State administration.