Officials along with the participants during a seminar on "Vocational Skills & Content Creation" at NHSS Pfutsero on September 12.
Pfutsero, September 13 (MExN): The Pfutsero Town Chakhesang Students' Union organised a seminar on the theme "Vocational Skills & Content Creation" at NHSS Pfutsero on September 12, bringing together students to learn about employability, entrepreneurship and digital career opportunities.
The seminar, which began at 10 am, featured three resource persons -- Dziesevolie Tsürho, academic officer and coordinator at the Vocational Education Cell, Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE); Atsungba Sangtam, entrepreneur and content creator; and Imtiyala Imsong, assistant centre manager at LGMM, Dimapur.
Speaking on vocational education, Tsürho outlined how the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 seeks to place vocational training on an equal footing with academic learning rather than treating it as a fallback option for weaker students.
He pointed to the wider "educated but unemployable" paradox facing the country, noting that while India produces more than 10 million graduates annually, fewer than half are considered immediately employable.
Nagaland faces a similar gap, he said, noting that despite having a literacy rate of 95.7 per cent, the third highest in the country, about 92 per cent of residents lack formal technical or vocational education, while the state's unemployment rate stands at 16.07 per cent.
Tsürho said formal vocational training could increase the chances of securing salaried employment by more than 46 per cent. He urged students to explore local growth sectors such as agri-tech and food processing, ecotourism, handlooms and digital services rather than relying solely on government employment.
In the second session, content creator and entrepreneur Sangtam shared his personal journey, recalling early resistance from his family and criticism from the community before he built a following that helped bring recognition and economic visibility to his village.
He encouraged aspiring content creators to start with whatever equipment they already have, create rather than merely consume content and develop an authentic personal identity online.
Drawing on his experience in ventures including taxi driving, street food vending, photography and a gym business, Sangtam described entrepreneurship as the practice of identifying unmet needs and taking calculated risks.
He urged students to start small, study their surroundings and build on their genuine interests. He said content creation and entrepreneurship could complement each other, with a personal brand serving as an asset in its own right.
He called on the youth to remain consistent and authentic and use their talents to create opportunities for themselves and their communities.
In the third session, Imsong introduced the students to LGMM and training opportunities available under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), a placement-linked skill training scheme of the Ministry of Rural Development for rural youth.
She said LGMM, a non-profit organisation working in skill development since 1996, operates as an empanelled training partner under the scheme and runs a centre in Dimapur offering free, job-oriented training to unemployed rural youth aged 15 to 35.
Candidates are provided free hostel accommodation, meals, study materials, uniforms and learning devices, along with certified training in trades such as Apparel & Made-ups and placement support on completion of the course, she said.
The programme, she added, provides students with a practical route into skilled employment without training costs.
The seminar was supported by Ellide Digital Printing Press as the printing partner. The organisers said the programme was aimed at exposing students to practical, skill-based career pathways beyond conventional academic routes.
