The one-day event feature 36 sectors and more than 1000 companies and 500 distinct sorts of trades. The aim of the Mela is “to boost career opportunities and practical training. So far, 188410 applicants have participated in the Apprenticeship Mela and various companies have sanctioned and offered 67,035 apprenticeships on the platform.
The candidates participating in the Mela must have a 5th-12th grade pass certificate, a skill training certificate, an ITI Diploma, or a graduate degree. The aspirants will be able to choose among 500+ trades such as welding, electrical work, housekeeping, beauticians, mechanic work, and more. The candidates will get recognized certifications and earn National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET). This in turn helps improve the employability of the participants after the training. The purpose of this programme is to encourage companies to hire more apprentices while also assisting employers in discovering and developing their potential via training and practical skill sets.
Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, expressed his views on the Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Mela.
The highlights are as follows:
- Provide additional job opportunities for talented individuals across the country.
- The primary purpose of these programmes is to recruit more apprentices,
- Apprenticeships are necessary for practical training, which is a must.
- This has had a significant impact, as seen by the expanding number of apprenticeships and their successful execution across the country.
- Teachers should be provided with the opportunity to come up with new courses every year to provide better choices to students.
- Teachers should be provided with an opportunity to work on a patent, and if the product is sustainable in the market, then the universities also support the startup and, if required, the teacher can come back to the academic career, an official said, seeking anonymity.
- The educators also discussed how to preserve and strengthen the rich cultural heritage of India and Indian languages.
- It was suggested to incorporate the Indian knowledge system into the curriculum at all levels.
- A multipronged approach will be needed to rejuvenate Indian knowledge systems.
- A strong focus on capacity building at the institutional, individual, research and student levels is needed.
- Accredited universities were also asked to attract greater numbers of international students, and achieve the goal of internationalization at home.
- They have been encouraged to create provisions for supernumerary seats for foreign students in universities so as to increase their enrolment, an education ministry official said, declining to be named.