SATV 11 June, Kathmandu: The second edition of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) skill fair is currently underway at Tundikhel, Kathmandu, offering free, hands-on training to over 2,000 participants in a month-long effort to boost employment and skill development across the capital.

Launched under the KMC Pride Project titled ‘Employment and Income Generation for Kathmandu’s Prosperity’, the initiative was launched in the fiscal year 2023/24 with an aim of training 15,000 youths and ensuring employment or self-employment for at least 5,000 of them. 

Engineer Shailendra Jha, coordinator of the Skill Fair Implementation Committee and a member of the Urban Planning Commission, stated that the fair is not just a training platform but also a step toward developing a skilled, market-ready workforce. “We’re equipping the unskilled and upgrading the skilled while creating balance between the demand and supply of human resources,” he said.

This year’s fair offers 42 training programmes across 10 major sectors, each designed to run for 30 days with six daily classes, totaling 100 hours of practical learning. The courses span a wide array of professions, from high-tech fields to traditional crafts, and are being conducted in collaboration with government bodies, NGOs, private institutions, and donor agencies. 

Participants receive training free of cost, with KMC also coordinating with private companies to provide On-the-Job Training (OJT), easing the financial burden and helping trainees gain real-world experience.

Following the success of last year’s event, which trained 2,725 individuals, exceeding its target, and helped over 1,200 secure employment, this year’s target is set at 2,082 trainees.

Among them is Krisha Bhatta, a Grade 12 Civil Engineering student enrolled in a robotics course. “This kind of training would cost at least Rs. 30,000 at a private institute,” she said. “Here, we’re getting practical knowledge that complements our academic studies, and for free.” She added that while many students are interested in these kinds of skill-based courses, not everyone can afford them. She expressed her gratitude to the metropolitan city for providing this training free of cost, and said she is hopeful that the initiative will lead to future employment opportunities.

The metropolitan city has opened training to all permanent or temporary residents of Kathmandu, with priority given to individuals affected by landfill sites, persons with disabilities, and those previously involved in street-based businesses. 

Eligible participants must be Nepali citizens aged between 18 and 58.

A 53-year-old woman from Chandragiri, attending sewing training, shared, “I always wanted to learn sewing but couldn’t due to early marriage and bringing up children. I’m not sure if I will start a business, but this training is helping me become self-reliant. Now, I can do basic stitches at home.” 

Garment training at the fair is being conducted in three shifts, each lasting four hours, with sewing machines provided to the trainees.

The fair also offers training in ICT, electronics, construction, garments, hospitality, automobiles, art, agriculture, and services. It offers inclusive courses for people with disabilities and practical skills like AI, repair work, beauty care, and stock market basics. 

The Nepal Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) is conducting ceramic pottery classes in two four-hour shifts. Saugat Shrestha, the instructor for ceramic pottery, said that participants of all ages are joining the classes. “After a month-long training, one can learn to make basic ceramic structures,” he said. 

NAFA is providing clay as the primary raw material, while the KMC is supplying other necessary materials.

The programme aims to reduce unemployment and boost Kathmandu’s economic growth by connecting education to skills, skills to employment, and employment to productivity. It is the largest skill development initiative organised by KMC to date, aiming not only to create new employment opportunities but also to enhance the standards and incomes of those who are already skilled and employed.