For jobs abroad, foreign consultants to train youth
CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government as part of its skill development project will tie up with foreign consultants to train the state’s youth for getting jobs abroad.
Under the initiative, which may check frauds by travel agents who dupe the youth in the name of settling them abroad, the technical education department will empanel foreign companies as ‘skill development partners’.
As per the plan, the consultants will set up skill development centres in the state and train the youth in various fields and also guarantee jobs.
“Modalities are being worked out to fix fee structure, minimum pay and the employment period. The idea is to save the youth from falling into the hands of unscrupulous travel agents and provide them better platform to get jobs abroad,” technical education minister Charanjit Channi said after a chairing a meeting in this regard.
On Monday, two UK-based consultants — UK Skills and City Guilds — gave presentations before the technical education department officials in the meeting attended by British deputy high commissioner at Chandigarh, Andrew Ayre.
Officials said the two have offered short-term courses in hotel management and construction.
“We have involved the British deputy high commissioner so that these consultants don’t do not indulge in some wrong practice,” Channi said.
Officials said the two are offering six-month and one-year skill development courses in Dubai and charging anywhere between ₹20 lakh to ₹25 lakh.
The fee in Punjab, however, will be cheaper, they said. These two have guaranteed to provide jobs to 1,000-1,200 youths every year besides completing all visa requirements.
“Other companies are also in touch with us. The hiring of these companies would be done through proper tendering and signing memorandums of understanding (MoUs),” Channi said.
During the previous Congress government, Haryana had also started a similar project of hiring foreign firms to train the youth to get jobs abroad. But the project failed to yield desired results.