Lieutenant Governor launches employment-linked skill training programme for Ladakhi youth

Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Friday launched an employment-linked skill training programme for Ladakhi youth, under which 36 shortlisted candidates from all seven districts of the Union Territory will undergo industry-oriented residential training in New Delhi with assured placement assistance.

The first batch, comprising 34 girls and two boys, was flagged off from Leh to the GMR Varalakshmi Centre for Empowerment and Livelihoods (CEL) in New Delhi, where they will undergo two to three months of training beginning in the first week of July, officials said.

The initiative aims to enhance employability by equipping the youth with market-oriented skills aligned with industry requirements while creating pathways for sustainable livelihoods in organised sectors, they said. Officials said the programme is particularly significant as most of the selected candidates are travelling outside Ladakh for the first time. The trainees include two from Leh, seven each from Kargil and Drass, six from Zanskar, eight from Sham, five from Nubra and one from Changthang, they said.

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They will receive training in advanced computing and data visualisation, cargo and logistics, customer service, beauty and spa, business banking, food production and service, and front office operations. The UT administration is facilitating transportation of the trainees to New Delhi, while the entire cost of boarding, lodging and training is being borne by GMR under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, they said.

On successful completion of the programme, the trainees will receive placement assistance through the foundation's network of industry partners, including Schneider Electric, Voltas, CELBI and Relaxo. Officials said another batch of 50 students from Ladakh would be sent for vocational training in the next phase. Calling the youth the "greatest strength" of Ladakh, Saxena said empowering them with industry-relevant skills was one of the most meaningful investments for the region's future.

"Our priority is to ensure that the youth of Ladakh are not only educated but also equipped with practical skills that match the evolving needs of industry and the modern economy. By providing quality, employment-linked training and facilitating placement opportunities, the administration is creating pathways for sustainable livelihoods, promoting self-reliance and building a skilled, confident and future-ready workforce," he said.

The trainees expressed gratitude for the opportunity, saying the programme would help them acquire industry-relevant skills and improve their employability. The Lieutenant Governor also thanked GMR Group Chairman G M Rao for bearing the entire cost of the programme and said the curriculum, with nearly 65 per cent emphasis on practical learning, would help trainees acquire workplace competencies and industry-ready skills.