Leh: In a first-of-its-kind initiative to enhance employability and create sustainable livelihood opportunities for the youth of Ladakh, Lieutenant Governor, Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena, has initiated a unique employment-linked skill training programme for Ladakhi youth. As part of it, 36 shortlisted youth (34 girls and 2 boys) from all seven districts of Ladakh are set to undergo the skill training programmes at the GMR Varalakshmi Centre for Empowerment & Livelihoods (CEL) in New Delhi, starting in the first week of July.
The initiative aims at providing the Ladakhi youth with ample exposure, equipping the youth with market-oriented skills aligned with industry requirements while creating pathways for gainful employment in the organised sectors. The initiative holds more significance as most of these candidates are stepping out of Ladakh for the first time.
The selection of 34 girls out of the total 36 candidates is aligned with Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi’s call for empowering women through skill development. These 36 candidates were today flagged off from Leh to New Delhi by L-G Shri Saxena. The selected candidates include 2 from Leh, 7 each from Kargil and Drass, 6 from Zanskar, 8 from Sham, 5 from Nubra and 1 from Changthang districts.
About the training:
Duration – 3 months of intensive residential training
Sectors covered – Advanced Computing and Data Visualisation, Cargo and Logistics Associate, Customer Service Associate, Customer Service Executive, Beauty and Spa, Business Banking Associate, Food Production and Service, and Front Office Associate.
Placement assistance – Will be provided through the Foundation’s extensive network of industry partners such as Schneider Electric, Voltas, CELBI, Relaxo, etc.
The UT Administration is facilitating the transportation of the trainees from Ladakh to New Delhi to enable their participation in the programme. The entire residential training, including boarding, lodging and training costs, is being funded by GMR under their CSR initiative, ensuring that financial constraints do not become a barrier to quality skill development for the youth.
The course is designed in a way that candidates getting placement assistance would significantly enhance their prospects for sustainable employment.
L-G Saxena, calling the youth of Ladakh its greatest strength, said that empowering them with industry-relevant skills is one of the most meaningful investments towards building a bright future of Ladakh. “Our priority is to ensure that the youth of Ladakh are not only educated but also equipped with practical skills that match the evolving needs of industry and the modern economy. By providing quality, employment-linked training and facilitating placement opportunities, the Administration is creating pathways for sustainable livelihoods, promoting self-reliance and building a skilled, confident and future-ready workforce that will contribute to Ladakh’s long-term development,” L-G Saxena said.
Students, going for the training, expressed their happiness at getting the opportunity, mentioning that it would help them to inculcate requisite skills and make them future-ready and employable in different sectors. They thanked the Lieutenant Governor for providing them with this unique opportunity.
The L-G thanked the Chairman of GMR Group, Shri GM Rao, for volunteering to bear the entire cost of boarding, lodging and training for this skill development program for these Ladakhi youth, and said this reflected the foundation’s commitment to society at large. The curriculum gives nearly 65% of its focus to practical, hands-on learning, so trainees can build workplace competencies and industry-ready skills.
It has also been decided, in the second batch, another 50 students from Ladakh would be sent for vocational training.
