BENGALURU : With Covid-19 leaving many youngsters in rural areas unemployed, the Karnataka State Skill Development Corporation is set to launch ‘Skills on Wheels’, to give them a leg-up. Buses will go to every taluk in the districts and training will be imparted to youngsters in the 18-35 age group.
“This idea was initiated by the skill development department of Karnataka, and will be launched in the first week of January,” explained Ashwin Gowda, MD, Karnataka Skill Development Corporation. Deputy Chief Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan is the guiding force behind this initiative, he said. “Our government is focused on imparting industry-relevant skill training for youngsters to provide them a better livelihood,” said the DyCM.
As a pilot project, the department plans to impart ‘general electrician’ and ‘beauty therapist’ training in eight districts, from January. The reason for taking this initiative to villages is to reach every last youngster, as vocational training under CM Koushalya Vikasa Yojana happens at the district headquarters, and not at the taluk level or villages. “There may be many youngsters who find it difficult to leave their fields, or women who are not sent out of home, and reach the district headquarters.
So we decided to take it to their doorstep,” explained Gowda. A survey was done to know which are the preferred courses, and ‘general electrician’ came up tops as it means they can repair agricultural machines, carry out minor electrical works, instal DTH cables, repair daily use devices etc, which is much needed in villages. Among women, the demand was for ‘beautician’, Gowda said.
The State government has chosen eight districts for the pilot project, including Mysuru, Bengaluru, Kalaburagi, Raichur, Yadgir, Belagavi, Shivamogga and Ramanagara. The training will be for about 240 hours, with six hours every day. While the age group for the programme is 18-35 years, the basic education for general electrician course is ITI training or Class 10, and for beauty therapist, it is Class 10 or at least high school.