In Chhattisgarh’s Baloda Bazar-Bhatapara district, the Hum Honge Kamyab initiative is helping youngsters choose the right path, besides providing skill training for job placements. A report by Deepanwita Gita Niyogi
Tarun Kumar Verma has been working at the Shree Cement plant in Baloda Bazar district of Chhattisgarh for almost four months. He is a final year B.Sc student at Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University in state capital Raipur, about two hours from the district. Verma is a student of mathematics.
The 22-year old youth got the job opportunity, thanks to a district administration initiative launched in Baloda Bazar around November last year. The initiative known as Hum Honge Kamyab is helping youths get jobs through skill training, career counselling, guidance and employment. Till now, over 200 youths have been placed in various companies.
“Prior to my job at Shree Cement, I did an apprenticeship at another cement company in 2022 though I did not get an experience certificate. But it helped me bag this job. I appeared confident during the interview round. I also received guidance on how to crack the interview. A relative told me about the Hum Honge Kamyab programme,” Verma said. There are several cement plants in Baloda Bazar due to the presence of limestone mines. It is the cement hub of Chhattisgarh.
As part of his job as a mechanical technician, the youth looks after the maintenance of heavy and light vehicles used in transportation and road cleaning. He gets a payment of Rs 783 per day with deductions. “I get one day off. My home is 13 km away. The job involves safety measures such as wearing helmets at all times to protect the head, jacket and special boots needed for heavy duty. I have to check the vibrations of the vehicles.”
Verma has two friends, who are also now his colleagues. One is Umakant Verma and the second is Deolal Miri. Umakant informed that he was looking for a job and the place offered good payment. “I was not keen on continuing studies.” Miri submitted his resume at the cement plant as he had prior experience in this sector.
During a demonstration session, the trio showed what they actually do on a day to day basis with road maintenance and loading vehicles. Vehicle maintenance is carried out at the workshop nearby.
A special initiative
According to Baloda Bazar collector Deepak Soni, the Hum Honge Kamyab initiative has been merged with the district administration’s Nayi Disha Abhiyan to urge youths to aspire for higher things in life. “As the objective is to cater to current market demands, companies have been asked to modernise their skilling centers. Aspirants must undergo quality training. The training period is usually for a few months and depends on the kind of job.”
The district’s Government Livelihood College also caters to the same purpose and runs various courses. Dageshwari Sahu, who works as a counsellor and trainer here, attends various awareness camps to motivate youths. “One of the main challenges is that the attention span is less these days, primarily due to mobile addiction. Still, guidance is important. For this, I meet young people and their parents, especially in rural areas. It is important to include parents in career guidance. Sometimes, they seem confused due to the influence of social media.”
At the initial level, counsellors try to understand the interest and aptitude of youths who need jobs. They receive help in resume writing, job search and interviews. Career counselling has been integrated in school and college programmes. Support is being extended to entrepreneurs for start-ups.
Right guidance and training
The district administration is planning to launch career guidance booklets to help youths know about various job opportunities. Already, a career counselling centre has been set up for this purpose. It was inaugurated on November 5 last year.
As part of this, a youth awareness programme was launched and schools were covered. Through this, it came to light that many students had doubts over which stream to choose. Counselling has also been extended to people over 40 who want to do something new in life.
Denzil David, who works as a counsellor at the Career Information Center, pointed out that many students choose wrong streams or subjects due to peer pressure or the lack of clarity. This acts as a setback when it comes to success. David gets about 12 students daily who come to him for guidance at the centre. A few youths have gone out of the state. Women are also coming forward for skill development.
Apart from the Livelihood College, there is the SEDI (Skill and Entrepreneurship Development Institute) centre where training is also given to youths, said trainer Raj Mahobia. There is a minimal charge of Rs 2000. At present, the centre runs retail, electrician and beautician courses in its labs as part of its integration with Hum Honge Kamyab. There are both theory and practical classes here. While training in retail extends for three months, which has the highest placement opportunity, the other two run for four months. At the end of the training, certificates are given to candidates.
The World Youth Skills Day which focuses on decent work opportunity and entrepreneurship is globally observed on July 15 every year. The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India, focuses on technical training, skilled manpower supply for the market and upgradation of existing skills.
