June 23: The Apprenticeship Training Programme initiated by the Department of Employment has been successful in helping the youth find jobs and gain experience and skills. Under the programme more than 700 students have been trained in various fields and are gainfully employed.

More than 300 trainees completed their one year and two years apprenticeship training programme on Saturday, June 21. They were attached with beauty parlours, automobile workshop, hydro power corporations and industries.

Ngedup was among the 300 trainees who received their certificate today. He completed class 12 in 2005 but could not qualify for college. He said he was jobless for almost two years until he came to know about the Apprentice Training Programme. Under the programme, Ngedup was attached with the production department of the Army Welfare Project in Gelephu.

Ngedup and his fellow trainees said they are now confident of finding a job or starting a business of their own since they have the experience.

According to Tandin Dorji, the Programme Officer of the Department of Employment, the training programme was started in 2000 to give job experience to unemployed youth.

He said the programme has been successful especially in helping the unemployed get jobs. He said most of the trainees who completed the programme are employed in organizations or companies that they have been attached with and many have started their own businesses.

He said more than half of those who graduated today are already employed in private sectors and organization where they were trained.