Private Sector needs occupational standards

Lalitpur, Nov. 15: Acting president of the Federation of Nepali Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) Shekhar Golchha Wednesday said that the private sector must set occupational standards at the earliest.

“The Nepali private sector does not have any occupational standards, and we must not wait for somebody to make it for us. It has to come from the private sector,” Golchha said while speaking at a workshop on ‘Benefits of occupational standards for the private sector and TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training)’.

Occupational standard is a description of those activities expected to be carried out by a holder of a certain job.

According to him, the business community must be serious about the standards as it was in their interest.

Golchha emphasised on skilled human resources, and said that skilled manpower was the key to economic growth and private sector development.

Presenting a paper on ‘Uses of occupational standards for increased performance of the private sector’, team leader of Dakshata TVET Practical Partnership Sean Curley said that the private sector in the developing countries had no frame for occupational standards, and the countries also lacked the framework for the same.

He said that Dakshata was working to develop a framework and policies for public-private-partnership (PPP), and expressed commitment that the programme was ready to support the private sector in creating such a framework.

“Occupational standards should come from private sector businesses because they need skill enhancement and higher productivity,” he said.

Vice-chairman of Employers’ Council at the FNCCI Bharat Acharya said that the private sector had begun to realise the importance of the TVET in the recent years.

The programme was jointly organised by the FNCCI, International Labour Organisation, Dakshata – TVET Practical Partnership, British Council and Council for Technical Educational and Vocational Training (CTEVT).