Bhubaneswar, 02 November (H.S.): A five-day skill development training programme for Class XII students and vocational lecturers of Government Vocational Higher Secondary (GVHS) Schools commenced at the Institute of Hotel Management (IHM), Bhubaneswar, on Monday.

Organised for vocational schools functioning under the School and Mass Education Department of the Odisha Government, the programme aims to strengthen students’ practical skills and industry-oriented competencies in the Tourism and Hospitality sector.

A total of 68 students are participating in the training, which will continue from November 2 to 6. Students and lecturers from Ganjam, Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur districts are attending the programme.

The inaugural session was attended by Binita Senapati, Additional Director, Directorate of Higher Secondary Education; Jitendra Nayak, Deputy Director; Sambit Suman, Head of the Production Department at IHM; Smitarekha Mohanty, Research Assistant, Directorate of Higher Secondary Education; and Aniruddha Mahapatra, Section Officer, among others.

Addressing the participants, Senapati underscored the importance of vocational education in equipping students with practical skills alongside theoretical knowledge. She said such training programmes promote self-reliance and improve employability.

Highlighting the employment potential of the Tourism and Hospitality sector, she said students could explore career opportunities in hotel management, tourism guidance and hospitality services. Vocational education, she added, plays an important role in addressing unemployment by preparing young people for the job market.

Nayak appreciated the collaboration with reputed institutions such as IHM for providing quality practical training. He outlined the objectives of the five-day programme and stressed the need to encourage greater student participation in skill development initiatives.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda