Kathua hosted an Apprenticeship Mela under the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) to strengthen the linkage between youth and industry. The event, held at Government Degree College, saw participation from around 350 youth and 30 industrial units.
The Mela provided a platform for aspiring youth to connect with local industries and explore apprenticeship and skill development opportunities. Dedicated registration and facilitation counters were set up to assist participating candidates with registration, counselling, and onboarding under the NAPS framework.
Deputy Commissioner Rajesh Sharma supervised the event, which generated around 1,700 apprenticeship opportunities on the NAPS Portal. These opportunities offered candidates a range of options for acquiring industry-relevant skills and practical work experience.
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During the event, candidate profiles were scrutinized and matched with apprenticeship opportunities offered by participating industries. Suitable candidates were shortlisted, and apprenticeship contracts were generated as per NAPS provisions, facilitating direct linkage between youth and industry.
Deputy Commissioner Rajesh Sharma highlighted the importance of apprenticeship training in bridging the gap between formal education and industry requirements. He noted that apprenticeship provides youth with valuable hands-on experience, enhances their employability, and helps them acquire skills aligned with industry requirements.
The NAPS scheme is a flagship initiative of the Government of India, aimed at promoting apprenticeship training by combining classroom-based learning with practical workplace experience. The scheme provides youth with opportunities to acquire industry-relevant skills and exposure to workplace practices while helping industries meet their skilled manpower requirements.
