Kochi, Kerala :

Sixty-two companies participated in the two-day job fair organized by the department of labour and employment at Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) on Saturday. Roughly, 5,108 jobs are on offer, majority of them for ITI technicians.

On the first day itself, almost 8,000 candidates came for the interview. A total of 18,000 candidates are expected to participate in the fair.

The government decided to organize the fair to create a common platform for deliberation between a prospective employer and potential employee sensing the unemployment problem among educated youths. Besides Ernakulam, the employment department is conducting mega job fairs “Niyukthi-2015” in Nilambur, Kollam, Kannur and Palakkad.

“Compared to other states, the unemployment rate among educated youth is high here. It has resulted in migration of labour force to other states and countries. At the same time, the employers in the state do not have skilled manpower. This is a paradoxical situation and we decided to work towards changing that,” said A Shainamol, director, employment and training, Kerala government.

Sources said that the department is now tapping employment potential in the private sector because vacancies in the government sector is diminishing and consequently the number of persons employed through the department has come down.

The department will also provide skill training to educated youth who register for Niyukthi next year.

“They will be imparted necessary skill training early to make them readily employable at job fairs we organize. Also our employability centres will act as vocational training providers by imparting post-job training to the selected candidates, if need arises,” said PR Rainold, joint director of employment, directorate of employment.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Kochi / TNN / January 11th, 2015