Nawanshahr academy taps rural talent for Punjab's booming service industry

A boom in the service sector is impossible without tapping the right kind of manpower. It, therefore, comes as no surprise that Punjab is tapping its sturdy rural population for this sector.

Nawanshahr (Punjab), May 3 : A boom in the service sector is impossible without tapping the right kind of manpower. It, therefore, comes as no surprise that Punjab is tapping its sturdy rural population for this sector.

In Punjab's Nawanshahr District, there is the 'Sainik Vocational Training Academy' that helps rural youth to develop communication and personality skills.

Punjabi youngsters, who left their studies midway, are once again keen on joining the socio-economic mainstream.

Fakhruddin Ahmed, a Gujjar, joined the family dairy business, after school, but realized soon enough that acquiring an education was important. He joined the Sainik Vocational Training Academy and has bow become computer savvy.

"Without an education, there can be no development. Education helps bring a change in your way of thinking. Since I have joined the academy, I have been getting a whiff of awareness. I have also been admitted to a Senior Secondary School," Ahmed says.

Established by the Directorate of Sainik Welfare, academy admits many youngsters annually, and then provides them with the skills to find suitable jobs in the service sector.

"Many school drop-outs on hearing of great job opportunities opening up, especially in the service sector, joined us. According to the Planning Commission, there will be 200 million jobs by 2020, and 120 million jobs will be in the service sector," said Lt. Colonel (retd.) Chuhar Singh, the Executive Director of the Sainik Vocational Training Academy.

Ultra modern education facilities coupled with a minimal fee structure is an attractive oprtion for rural youth.

The faculty primarily consists of ex-military college instructors. "Whatever knowledge we have acquired in the army, we are imparting that knowledge to people living in rural areas. During my last leg of service, I got the opportunity of conducting campus interviews in the colleges of Punjab. There, I came to know that our boys from rural areas cannot communicate. So, that inspired me. I took up this task that I should impart training to boys in communication and personality development," said Lt. Colonel (retd.) Malkit Singh, a faculty member. Nawanshahr is the only district in Punjab that has focused on giving vocational training to rural youth.

ANI