Government to soon launch scheme to train 14 to 18 year old girls for non-traditional jobs

The government will soon launch a scheme to train 14- to 18-year-old girls in non-traditional job roles, a move aimed at increasing women's participation in the labour force, a top official said on Wednesday.

The pilot of the scheme will be launched in the next 2-3 weeks, Secretary in the Ministry of Women and Child Development Anil Malik said.

The scheme, which is being launched in 27 districts in the pilot phase, will eventually be expanded to cover 218 districts across the country, he said.

A non-traditional career is generally defined as a certain role that has less than 25% of a specific gender, either men or women.

As part of the 'Introduction of Special Project for Empowering Adolescent Girls & Women', 14-18 years old girls would be provided training near their schools and homes while they continue their education.

The secretary shared that the pilot will be launched in 2 to 3 weeks during which training in non-traditional job roles will be provided along with digital skilling, digital marketing and general personality orientation.

This programme would ultimately lead to higher participation of women in the labour force, he added.

"We had signed an MoU with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship where adolescent girls from 27 districts across the country at present and 218 districts later on in the age group of 14-18 years would be trained in non-traditional roles through the agency of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana training partners and Jan Shikshan Sansthans and also government institutions," said Malik.

He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a workshop to sensitise officers of both ministries regarding the scheme.

This programme would ultimately lead to higher participation of women in the labour force, the secretary said, adding that it would be launched "very soon at the highest level of the government."