Ladakh Skill Development Mission and the Higher Education Department of Ladakh collaborated with the renowned Wadhwani Foundation to launch an innovative initiative aimed at enhancing the employability skills of students in the region. This collaborative project, titled "Employability Skills Training," is set to be implemented across Government Degree Colleges, Polytechnics and ITI in the Union Territory of Ladakh.

Under this visionary project, students will have the opportunity to enroll in the "Employability Skills - Intermediate course”, supplemented by an entrepreneurship module. This comprehensive program, spanning approximately 70-75 hours, will be delivered over the course of 4-5 hours each week. The curriculum has been meticulously designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the modern job market and potentially explore entrepreneurial ventures.

The Wadhwani Foundation, a globally recognized organization specializing in skill development and entrepreneurship, will spearhead the implementation of the project.

A two-day "Faculty Orientation Program" (FOP) on Employability Skills was held on August 21 at the Government Polytechnic Leh, inaugurated by the Commissioner /Secretary Technical Education and Skill Development/Higher Education Ladakh, Padma Angmo IIS.

The FOP is specifically designed to train faculty members who will subsequently deliver the Employability Skills program in their respective institutions. 15 faculty members deputed by Degree Colleges across UT Ladakh and Polytechnics attend the two days duration FOP at Polytechnic Leh. The nominated faculty members will undergo intensive training during the FOP, gaining valuable insights and tools to effectively impart employability skills to their students.

Commissioner/Secretary Padma Angmo emphasised the importance of developing employability skills among the students to make them market ready. She said that this will be a unique and sustained intervention to benefit the educated youth of Ladakh and the Department shall continuously monitor the efficacy and success of the intervention so that the programme can be adapted to the local requirements. She thanked the Wadhwani Foundation for bringing this programme to Ladakh in collaboration with the Ladakh Skill Development Mission.

Assistant Professors and lecturers from Degree Colleges across UT Ladakh and Polytechnic attended the workshop.

The collaboration between Ladakh Skill Development Mission, Higher Education Department Ladakh, and the Wadhwani Foundation highlights a shared commitment towards fostering a skilled workforce equipped for the demands of the 21st-century job market. By emphasizing both employability skills and entrepreneurship, this initiative seeks to empower students to become not just job seekers, but also creators of opportunities.