Dr Asangba Tzudir
The need for skill development and entrepreneurship especially among the youths in the State has emerged as one of the most critical parameter in the context of what the state is witnessing today beginning issues of unemployment coupled by the economic dependency syndrome.
As such, the State is in dire need of a workforce that is empowered with advanced technical knowledge and skills both in the organized as well as unorganized sectors. Developing such a workforce precisely is the aim and objective of the Directorate of Employment, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of Nagaland. This is to ensure a steady flow of skilled workers in different areas of skill related activities and also to raise both quality and quantity production and also to reduce the issues of growing unemployment.
The Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in Nagaland is offering proper training on skill education in about 20 trades, and while the job sector in the Government is getting crunched, a lot more emphasis is desired currently not only on the training but also for the Government to provide gainful employment and also ‘start-up push’ for venturing into entrepreneurship.
Though Nagaland is plagued by issues of unemployment within a dependency syndrome, yet, Nagaland continues to be a land of self ‘employment’ opportunities especially for the many non-Nagas, wherein they can easily make a living even without any skills just by picking rags.
Government job seems to have fitted well for a ‘lazy generation’ where in the Government sector, it is assumed that a Government employee gets salary whether one goes to work or not, that the workload will not be like in the private sector where one has to really sweat out.
Coming to the human resources capital, there is no dearth of talent, but laziness seems to be a stumbling block in pursuing and expressing ones potential. Often laziness seems to be a temporal symptom of not finding ones interest.
While Government has its own role to play in the development of skills and promotion of entrepreneurship and livelihood, a greater responsibility rests on the people, the younger generation. The white collar job/Government job hangover often casts a shadow of doubt on the younger generation in expressing their real interests and potentials, and which may be one reason for the failure to create a change in mindsets.
On the aspect of entrepreneurship, besides the skills and other resources, there is no substitute for honesty and hard work in order to succeed in any venture. There always is a way to sweat-struggle and slowly climbs up the rungs of success rather than seeking overnight riches and transformation.
While ITIs does their part of skill development, one neglected sector is sports and the government should give due emphasis on building sports infrastructure. Besides stadiums or state of the art facilities, each district needs to have a sports academy for disciplines where Nagas can excel.
Our state still has a long way to go and requires a concerted effort and one that needs to be developed collectively for economic growth and for the well-being and good life of the people.
(Dr Asangba Tzudir contributes a weekly guest editorial to The Morung Express. Comments can be emailed to asangtz@gmail.com)
