60 youths from Phudmuri benefit from career guidance programme

SHILLONG, Nov 10: Sixty youths from Phudmuri area in Shillong were led through activity-driven and career exploration sessions that focussed on building confidence, clarity and job readiness during a career guidance programme jointly organised by the Social and Economic Life Development Association (SELDA) of Phudmuri Presbyterian Church and Avenues, a well-known skill training enterprise in the Northeast, headquartered in Shillong.
Held at Phudmuri Presbyterian Higher Secondary School here on Friday, the one-day workshop targeted students of Classes 10, 11 and 12 from the area, and it was facilitated by the trainers of Avenues.
In an effort to nurture career aspirations shaped by passion and skillsets, the workshop modules touched upon career exploration, skill mapping and goal getting. The sessions were curated to instil clarity and shift mindsets from making career choices based on popularity and availability to connecting them with interests and personal strengths. The day saw the participants diving into activities that ranged from identifying professional sectors, domains and careers, to aligning talent, passion and skill, and walking through the steps to achieve desired career goals.
Lakyntiew Akor Marbaniang, a student of Class 11, shared her experience of the programme, saying, “I would like to thank the trainer for such an encouraging session. I have better clarity on how to think about my career choices. This programme gave us the platform to express ourselves and the trainer listened and helped guide us. It’s one of the best teachings I’ve had, and I think programmes like this help us in our confidence and self-belief, because we can dream and aim higher”.
Speaking about how the programme helped him, Iainehlang Sohtun, Class 10, said, “This kind of programmes is very helpful for young people like me because we need to be clear on what to study in order to achieve our aim in life. One of the most memorable lessons for me today was time management”.
On the other hand, secretary of SELDA, L Shabong, shared his thoughts on the objective of conducting such a programme. “We observe that our young people in the community are very talented, but they lack the clarity to build the capacities of their innate potential. This is a much-needed intervention to help guide them towards wholesome careers that will contribute to their personal success and to the development of their community and state,” he said. Referring to the training approach, he added, “I was observing how the sessions were conducted and I was very pleased to see that it is a two-way, interactive channel. I am grateful to Avenues for bringing this workshop to our youth”.
Assistant Teacher at Phudmuri Presbyterian Higher Secondary School, E Syiem, shared: “I teach Economics for students of Classes 11 and 12 and very often, I find that most of them are still very confused about what they want to do after their 12th, let alone their higher studies. This programme is an opportunity for them to come forward and start planning for their future and livelihoods. One of the best things that I observed in this workshop today is that not one student is left out. The trainers engage every single one of them in the class and I can see our students’ willingness to learn and involve themselves in the activities.”
It may be mentioned that Avenues has been conducting career readiness programmes for schools and colleges across the state since 2003.