Introducing the HPKVN Skills Conclave to be held on 14th December 2016

Himachal Pradesh Kaushal Vikas Nigam (HPKVN) is all set to roll out many skilling initiatives in partnership with the industry bodies and training partners. HPKVN is organizing “Kaushal Himachal Samridh Himachal” – Skill Conclave on 14th December 2016 from 9.00AM to 6.00PM at Hotel Peterhoff, Shimla. The conclave will be inaugurated by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Mr. Virbhadra Singh. The event is designed as a platform for collaboration between all the stakeholders in the skill development ecosystem to impart relevant skilling programs in the state and make the youth employable.

Himachal Pradesh Kaushal Vikas Nigam (HPKVN) – a state skill mission, operates under the Department of Planning, Government of Himachal Pradesh. As a nodal agency for providing the industry with skilled workforce and improve employability of youth in the state, HPKVN has collaborated with the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The main objective is to provide quality training to youth in compliance with National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) with active involvement from Sector Skill Councils (SSCs).

HPKVN plans to impart NSQF compliant training to 65000 youth in the next 5 years. The mandate of the HPKVN was to empower all unemployed, unskilled and semiskilled population falling in the age bracket of 18 to 35 years.

Let’s look at some of the milestones in the journey of 15 months of HPKVN:

• Established its office and an energetic team of about 30 professionals to expedite the Nigam’s cause
• Successfully rolled out its Pilot Training Programme, wherein 7 TSP’s are to provide training to about 1080 youths from 6 districts in the listed 8 sectors. They are Kangra (Retail & Hospitality), Solan (Textiles & Life Sciences), Shimla (IT/ITes), Mandi (Furniture & Fittings), Nahan-Paonta (Automobile) & Kullu (Hospitality).
• Plans to upgrade 52 ITIs from STVT to NCVT so that all the NSQF aligned training is given to the trainees.
• Developed a web based MIS system, for monitoring of daily attendance of students.
• The NSQF compliant skill training is linked with Skill Development Monitoring System “SDMS” developed by NSDC which means certification is issued through online system called SDMS. This is acknowledged by all industry at national and international level through Sector Skills Council.
• Plans to establish 7 Rural Livelihood Centres and 6 Urban Livelihood Centres.
• Plans to enhance the skills/ recognising the skills of semiskilled workers in the state by way of “Recognition of the prior Learning” (RPL) programme.
• Plans to start B. Voc. degree programme through the H.P. University with multi level entry and exit. This will provide students a chance to exit at any level with a diploma and finally after completing the studies for three years they will be awarded a degree. Students will have the opportunity to leave the studies after one /two years for which they will get diploma, advance diploma and can come back any time to complete the degree.
• Proposes to offer add-on courses in 12 government colleges are planned for the upcoming year. These will be skill courses which students can take up with their regular degree courses in the colleges.
• For this, HPKVN has signed 19 MOUs with industry bodies, and seeks their advice regularly in all matters – like job roles, standards, assessments etc.

Following are some of the initiatives at HPKVN

• Demand-driven training programs
• Multipurpose training and marketing centers
• Entrepreneurship development
• Mobilisation, candidate screening and counselling
• Skilling in local arts and crafts
• Upgradation of employment exchanges
• Alignment with National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF)
• Implementation of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
• Quality assurance in training programs