By Archana Sharma

Jaipur, Aug 13 (IANS): The Rajasthan Skill and Livelihoods Development Corporation (RSLDC) has resumed its training services at its Pre-Departure Orientation Training (PDOT) centres, giving fresh hopes of foreign placement to skilled professionals from the state.

The PDOT centre in Sikar district has recently registered a batch of 37 candidates aspiring to work in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. This will be the first batch to undergo training since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic that forced these countries to restrict arrivals of emigrant workers.

"The international job market is once again opening up after the pandemic and this is a welcome development for those looking for work opportunities abroad. The Pre-Departure Orientation Training is especially important for those requiring emigration check due to lack of academic qualification. Soon, the services shall resume at all the centres," said Niraj K. Pawan, Chairman, RSLDC.

Emigration Check Required (ECR) is a notation stamped on the passports of people with academic qualification below 10th standard. These people need to acquire emigration clearance before travelling to 18 countries, including the GCC nations. The provision is meant to protect such people from exploitation and forgery on the pretext of foreign placements.

PDOT is a major step towards educating the aspiring candidates towards various formalities and rules before they take up oversees appointment.

All the 37 candidates registered at the PDOT centre in Sikar are from the mason and helper category.

The objective of PDOT is to enhance soft skills of migrant workers in terms of culture, language, tradition and local rules and regulations of the destination country, to sensitise them about the pathways to safe and legal migration for their welfare and protection.

RSLDC is the apex skill development body of Rajasthan government, which is the designated PDOT partner with the Ministry of External Affairs.

The corporation through its PDOT centres in Jaipur, Sikar and Nagaur has already benefitted more than 3,000 workers before the pandemic disrupted emigration of workers.

Rajasthan has a huge skilled workforce and the workers from the state are preferred by several employers in the Gulf countries.

RSLDC helps in upskilling of such workers. It also helps safeguard their interests through registration of recruiting agents and other initiatives.

RSLDC will soon conduct training programmes online to further facilitate the foreign job aspirations of the state's workers.