Event to showcase local skills begins in Kohima

Our Correspondent
Kohima, May 16 (EMN): To revive local and domestic skills, encourage youths for harnessing skills and showcase skills to the world, the first ever four days ‘state skills’ competition Nagaland 2018 was launched today, May 16 at Kohima.
The programme was organised by the Directorate of Employment, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship with Synergy Group Enterprise as the event partner under the theme “Make Nagaland proud with your skills” at its conference hall.
The competition, it informed was organised as per the guidelines of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship for India Skills with a view to promote and advocacy of vocational trades and also to propagating standards and competency based training and assessment at grassroot levels.
Giving an overview of the competition, joint secretary, Anthony Ngully said the primary objective of the programme is to showcase and inspire excellence in skills with such competition to provide a platform to inspire options of a vocational career to the talented youth of the state.
It is also, he said to create a transparent and organised system for preparing talented youth for world skill competition, which will be held at the various levels at districts, state, region and national level and then at the world level.
Ngully informed that those selected at the state level will represent the state at the regional level and later at the national level in 2019, held every alternate year and the winners will represent India in the World Skill competition to be held at Russia.
Though the competition involves competing in 52 skill trades, Ngully said due to time constraint, the competition will be held in two trades viz. cooking and patisserie and confectionary for youth under 21 years of age.
Nonetheless, he said the department endeavours to organise more competitions in the future to accommodate more talented youth and include more skills trades in stone masonry, electronics, painting, decorating, hairdressing, beauty therapy, fashion technology, graphic designing etc.
Addressing the gathering, Director Y Vandanshan Lotha said possessing a ‘skill’ is not an inborn ability alone, but something which is acquired through interest, practice and sincerity.
With the world becoming so competitive expecting the best from a person, Lotha said it has become imperative for a person to equip oneself with the best skill to enhance expertise, quality and increase productivity.
Stating that this is a good opportunity and a platform to showcase skill and improve oneself, he encouraged the youth to make the best use of the opportunity and upgrade their skills and knowledge.
It was informed that screening for cooking, patisserie and confectionery will be held on May 16 and 17, wherein the main competition will be held on May 19.
The judges for the competitions are Aien Jamir, Alemjungla Jamir, Chenti Phom, Joel Basumatari and Rovi Chasie.