AP Aims to Generate 1 Lakh Blue-Collar Jobs Abroad Through OMCAP

Vijayawada: Education minister Nara Lokesh said the state government aims to arrange one lakh blue-collar job opportunities abroad through the Overseas Manpower Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (OMCAP) in the next five years.

Lokesh, who chaired a review meeting with skill development company officials on Thursday, asked them to prepare a road map and work in a planned manner to achieve the target.

He noted that there is a strong demand for nurses, welders, truck drivers and construction workers in Europe, Germany, Italy and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

The minister emphasized the need to provide foreign language training to more ITI, polytechnic graduates and nursing students to help them secure employment abroad. He suggested examining the Kerala model for nursing job placements and focusing on skill training on job profiles that are in high demand abroad.

Currently, 2,774 nursing interns statewide are receiving foreign language training under OMCAP, officials said. The state has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the German international association for healthcare professionals (DeFa) and TELC (European language certification) to establish German language assessment centers in the state.

Lokesh reviewed the state’s skills portal, which combines data from 23 sectors, and noted that workforce readiness should suit the needs of the 4,639 large and medium industries operating in AP. He said the portal, which will be launched next month, should provide youth with complete job-related information.

Highlighting the development of 83 government ITIs in mission mode, Lokesh directed officials to expedite proposals worth Rs 322 billion for infrastructure and modernization works. While admissions to ITIs have increased, officials have raised the issue of staff shortage.

Lokesh called for AP to be placed at the top under PM Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana and PM Internship programs and sought improvements in curriculum, testing, certification and placements.

Discussions were also held regarding the upgradation of ITIs under the PM Setu programme. Officials said 646 teaching and 2,183 non-teaching posts remained vacant in 87 polytechnic colleges.

The minister ordered a study of successful models in other states and called for preparation of plans to develop ITIs under a hub and spoke model, with centers in Visakhapatnam, Anantapur and Chittoor under 13 spokes.

ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel’s subsidiary announced that NAMTECH (New Age Makers’ Institute of Technology) will establish a skills training center in AP.

HR secretary Kona Sashidhar, skill development company CEO Ganesh Kumar and other officials attended the meeting.