4th YouthNet Job Fair underway at Tetso College Dimapur
Morung Express News
Dimapur | June 30
Job-hunting can be rather daunting for those making the first step to earning a living. For most young graduates, with Nagaland in context, the prospect is further limited by a lack of guidance, not to mention an almost obstinate desire to land a secure position in an already saturated state government job spectrum.
This is where professional guidance could come in handy; and ‘times are a-changing’ with the advent of career expos or job fair. Job fairs are primarily a confluence of prospective employers, recruiters and careers guides, where graduates, including students as well as dropouts can get introduced to feasible career opportunities free of cost; at the same time narrowing down the list of options or in some cases launch careers.
One such fair is underway in Dimapur courtesy YouthNet. The 4th in a series of job fairs organised by YouthNet, this time it is being held in partnership with Bangalore-based NGO Quest Alliance. Quest Alliance’s expertise lies in linking education, skills and employment or simply put – career guidance.
Being hosted by Tetso College, 5th Mile, it started in June 30 to conclude on July 1. YouthNet Director, Lezo Putsure informed that some 30 business firms are expected to turn up at the fair with professionals manning assistance booths for those who come seeking. It starts at 9:00 am and closes at 4:00 pm. Over 20 firms from the banking, hospitality, automobile, and retail sectors turned up today. Putsure, further informed that it registered around 500 walk-ins today with some coming from other districts as well.
Putsure emphasised the private sector as an equally paying, if not more, alternative to employment in the government machinery. Honing or inculcating certain skills, not limited to an educational degree alone, can go a long way towards winning over the private sector, as according to Putsure, “The private sector is growing in Nagaland.
Still we don’t have the skills as demanded by the sector.” Besides, pinning sight on a career path, a young job-seeker can avail valuable insights as regards the aspect of acquiring ‘soft skills’.
A panel discussion on the topic: ‘What skills do organisations look at when they hire’ was another feature of the expo. Augustine Ngatuba, Regional Coordinator, North East India, Quest Alliance); Medo Putsure, Proprietor, Bambusa and Nuneseno Chase (Head of Training and Development, Nagaland Career and Development Centre, YouthNet were in the panel with Neli Adahe of Pro Rural moderating.
Medo Putsure echoed an often repeated refrain that the youth of Nagaland should seriously start looking beyond government jobs. Stating that the private sector is growing in the state, he stressed on inculcating ‘dignity of labour’ as employers would want to invest in someone willing to put in effort.
Ngatuba focussed on the skill normally demanded by business entities and an eye for “seeing opportunities in problems and starting small’. Chase while stressing on the role of communication skills in a successful career, said that in the majority of cases it is one area which recruiters/employers look for in prospective applicants.
