Nagaland launches state-level apprenticeship campaign to bridge talent gap
Dimapur: The Nagaland Employment, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Department organized a state-level campaign on apprenticeship under the PM-National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (PM-NAPS) at the Capital Cultural Hall in Kohima on Friday as part of a pilot initiative to promote apprenticeship in the Northeastern region.
Addressing the campaign, Adviser to Labour & Employment, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Moatoshi Longkumer, noted that apprenticeship is the beginning of a professional journey, instilling discipline, teamwork, and responsibility that classrooms cannot provide.
“Nagaland has no shortage of talent, but it needs structured opportunities. Apprenticeship bridges this gap,” he said.
Longkumer emphasized that Nagaland’s youth cannot rely solely on education, adding that they require experience, exposure, and industry immersion to become employable.
He observed that productivity in today’s environment requires more than traditional processes and that apprenticeship remains a transformative model.
“Apprenticeship offers real workplace experience, helps industries build adaptable manpower, and provides the state with a pipeline of skilled workers aligned with industry needs,” he added.
Longkumer also highlighted that Naga youth show promise in sectors such as hospitality, food services, electrical and plumbing trades, construction, MSMEs, retail, logistics, digital services, IT support, agriculture, food processing, handicrafts, carpentry, graphic design, and other emerging areas.
He said apprenticeship will help them translate this promise into capability.
Longkumer stressed the need for convergence across government departments, industry bodies, sector skill councils, and training providers to ensure policy alignment, training relevance, and wider participation.
Delivering the welcome address, Commissioner & Secretary, Labour & Employment, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Sotsula, said the PM-NAPS continues to serve as a major initiative of the Government of India, enabling young people to gain industry-ready skills through structured apprenticeship training.