The Employment Fund/HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation Nepal (EF) will be providing training for 16,000 Nepalis in 2014 to fulfil the growing demand for skilled youth labour force in country to some extent.

According to the EF, every year around 450,000 youths enter the labour market of Nepal who are incapable of addressing the market needs because around 90 per cent of them are unskilled. To cope with this challenge and enhance the living standards of the youth, the EF will be providing training and employment to 12,000 

marginalised youth who are in an extreme position and develop 4,000 youth as entrepreneurs who can later generate employment in the country.

The EF, after a survey on market demand for skill, determines the required skills to be provided to labour. For the current year, it has selected 39 organisations across the country which will be providing training. They are also responsible for the job placement of trainees. The EF spends around Rs 50,000 per person in providing training.

In the first phase of the programme, youths are provided with skills of their interest. They will work as an employee in a wage rate system during the training period and later establish their own business and generate employment for at least one person. The EF aims to generate 4,000 employers this year under this programme.

Similarly, the second phase focuses on marginalised youths who are in extreme condition. This phase includes youths living with HIV, gender violence survivors, handicapped, street children and orphans, prisoners and former prisoners, bonded labourers and squatters. The programme plans to benefit 12,000 youth.

The EF, since its operation in 2008, has been benefitting around 70,000 youths of the country out of which around 50,000 are in training related jobs. It has provided 121 types of training till date. It is reported that on average they are earning around Rs 5,500 per month. Furthermore, labours who have been employed for the past three years are earning Rs 10,000 on average. Most of those who have quit their jobs despite the training are women due to pregnancy, low wage and family pressure, among others. The EF considers people as underemployed if he or she earns less than Rs 4,600 per month even after the training.

“People who are earning around Rs 10,000 are not interested in foreign employment because they are meeting their basic needs,” said team leader at Employment Fund/HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation Nepal Bal Ram Paudel. He also pointed that this programme has helped enhance the economy of the country by retaining youths in the country.

Regarding entrepreneurship, last year among 17,000 trainees, around 35 per cent were self-employed. The EF also works as a facilitator between banks or micro finance companies and interested trainees who want to get loans to start a business.

Published on: 12 February 2014 | The Himalayan Times