Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma on August 4 announced the government’s commitment to extend all possible support to trained nurses for job placements in different parts of the world.
Speaking at the overseas nursing job fair in Shillong, Sangma said over 1000 Meghalaya nurses have enrolled in the overseas job fair, even as he announced a financial assistance of Rs 50,000 per beneficiary to help selected nurses avail the opportunities before them.
The overseas nursing job fair, held in collaboration with Navis HR Pvt Ltd, Nursedge, The Trained Nurses Association India, and Ajith Enterprise, was organized by Meghalaya State Skill Development Society and the state Department of Health and Family Welfare.
Companies from Japan, Singapore, Germany, the Middle East, Australia, and more presented their strengths and opportunities during the nursing job fair.
“As a government we will leave no stone unturned to ensure support to as many nurses as possible and therefore, we encourage the future caregivers gathered to stay committed to their dreams and ensure they see it through despite the challenges they may face outside the state and the country,” the chief minister said.
Emphasising on the importance of skill-based, multi-disciplinary education, Sangma said the government’s aim is to provide similar opportunities in various sectors. He noted that this approach, rooted in the tribal society’s humility, enhances the advantages of Meghalaya’s human resources.
“The state will explore opportunities in various fields, such as music, healthcare, construction, and more, to ensure the skilling of human resources in the right aspects,” he said.
Addressing the success of skill-based education, chief minister Sangma shared that the state government’s focus on this approach has led to increased employability among the youth.
“Ensuring that we are able to take steps and reform the social sectors is very crucial for the government,” he said citing the successful hiring of around 500 doctors through the medical recruitment board within a short span of two months.
With a strong focus on healthcare, he informed about the creation of a board to procure medicine supplies in a well-organised manner.
The segregation of medical professionals and administration in the healthcare department was emphasised to streamline operations effectively.
Highlighting the importance of nursing in the global market, the chief minister mentioned that India is expected to supply over 40 per cent of skilled labour for the next two to three decades.
With over 11,000 registered members in the Meghalaya nursing council, the state is determined to skill its youth in various traits to meet the growing demand abroad.
The state government pledged to support all candidates selected by these companies and contribute up to Rs 50,000 per candidate for training expenses. The rest of the expense shall be deducted from the candidates’ salaries once they are employed.
Chief minister Sangma urged the nursing community to consider overseas placements, highlighting the salary ranges from 1.3 lakh to 2 lakh rupees based on skill and experience.
He also emphasised that approximately Rs 80,000 to 1 lakh can be sent back to Meghalaya for their families, making overseas employment an attractive opportunity for the state’s youth.
The chief minister expressed confidence that this initiative would create a quality community of Meghalaya residents abroad, contributing significantly to the state’s economy, similar to other states like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat.
The Meghalaya Skill Development Society, in collaboration with the Labor Department and Health Department, is actively working to ensure the success of this initiative.
The government remains committed to empowering its youth by exploring similar opportunities in sectors like construction, hospitality, BPO, and more.
Health & Family Welfare minister Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh said: “We need to handhold the enthusiastic citizens of the state who in spite of having acquired the necessary training are still without jobs.”
She urged the aspiring nurses seeking employment to sharpen their skills not only in the profession of nurses but learn the technologies being used in the different countries and also expose themselves to the languages of the country of their placement.
Lyngdoh further urged HR Agencies to ensure the safety of the nurses in the countries of their employment.
Though about a 150 nurses were also present from Garo Hills, the minister informed that a Overseas Nursing Job fair will also be held in Tura to reach out to aspiring nurses from Garo Hills in western part of Meghalaya.
