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The job inconsistency exists around the world: there are open positions that do not get filled, and there are people without jobs. The problem encompasses jobs both in the knowledge industry and also, the world of skilled trades and vocations. According to a Manpower Group survey 1 of nearly 40,000 employers in 41 countries, workers in skilled trades (plumbers, electricians, welders, bricklayers etc.) are in the shortest supply. One major reason identified for this gap is lack of skills and information among people about these jobs. Governments, industry organizations and NGOs all across the world have put efforts to address this gap.
Plumbing is largely a skill trade and involves the repair, installation and maintenance of drainage, water supply and heating systems. Plumbing is not merely fixing up a tap. With more complex buildings getting designed and constructed, there is a growing need of trained plumbers. According to a National Skill Development Council survey, just 0.5 per cent of plumbers in the country are trained. There will be requirement of 12 lakh trained plumbers by 2020, while the current availability is 2.5 lakh, with most of them untrained or self-trained.In context of plumbing workers, we find considerable efforts by the Ministry of Skill Development And Entrepreneurship, National Skill Development Corporation and Indian Plumbing Skill Council in India to catalyze the training and credentialing ecosystem. Plumbing is one of the professions on India’s wanted list as it raises its annual target figure for skilled workers coming into the country. Plumbing industry across India has become high employability job for the trained skill workers
The rise in demand of plumbing workers across the Nagaland indicates that the economy is doing much better. Every year 500 Crore plus worth of constructions are happening in Nagaland. The Plumbing Industry faces the immense challenge of huge gap between the supply of skilled labour and the demand of skilled labour. A very small percentage of the plumbing workforce is actually skilled in India. In Nagaland only 20% of the plumbers are skilled labours and the remaining percentage is all self trained that’s where the practice and health and safety issues are of concerned. 80 % plumbers in the state are non –locals and the entire industry is dimidiated my migrant workers. As per the survey local plumbers are considered less skilled and are paid 20-30 % lesser than the market rate. The present rate in Dimapur is Rs.40-60/ Sq. feet. For the small repair work of two hour a plumber can earn about minimum of Rs. 500. At the average a plumber can earn minimum of Rs. 1000 per day. And if we calculate as 25 working days, a skilled plumber can earn nothing less than Rs. 25000/- per month.
There are no such registered or professional plumbing and contracting companies in the state. Since there is no strict construction regulations guideline or authorities, the plumbing industry is being controlled by non professional where health and safety issues are compromised. There is immense potential for entrepreneurship ventures in this industry where the demand is very high. Starting plumbing contracting firms by locals where they can employ and promote local youths can bring change and bring more encouragement to join and work in this industry as skilled labours. Local construction companies, firms, or individual should insist to work with professional plumbing firms and give opportunities only to those. There has been a wide change in the environment of construction in Nagaland itself, especially over the last decade, with the coming of multi-storeyed buildings, large apartment complexes and urbanization, the need for experts in this sector is fast growing.
There are many skill development and certified programmes on plumbing being conducted in our state for free of cost. Plumbing has been selected as the core initiative for skill development under the National Skill development program by the Indian Plumbing Skills Council (IPSC) to train plumbers across India under this initiative. There is Entrepreneurship & Skill Development Training to be conducted by SIDBI for 6 weeks soon in Dimapur. Interested youth can directly contact : 8014057303.
State Department of Employment, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship can play an important role by coming with a project to get informally trained skilled workers in unorganized sectors like plumbing, electrician, welders etc and provide them certificates after suceesfully completing their training.