Forty-six year old Jagadish Kafle has been providing house-wiring services to private offices for two decades.

But today Kafle was drilling a wall at the lab of Sanothimi-based Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training office. Unlike on other days, he was testing his skill in building electrician level 2.

There are 96 others waiting to get their occupational skill tested to see if it meets the CTEVT standard.

In another room, half a dozen youth, were busy fixing a high voltage electricity system to test their skill in industrial electrician level-2.

The self-taught and those trained at institutes can apply for National Skill Testing (NST) and receive a certificate after passing the test.

The number of people applying for the test is increasing after the application fee of Rs 2000 was lifted. The test has reached 37 districts of which 22 districts are in the Terai.

Wood-carving, masonry, carpentry, beautician, mobile phone repair technician are other areas of skills included in the test.

World Bank has provided assistance of 38.9 million rupees for skill-testing of 5,400 this fiscal and the assistance will continue for the next three years.

Director of NST Board at CTEVT Chandra Bhakta Nakarmi says, “Buying house-wiring services from a certified electrician confirms the quality of service and wiring safety.”

Skill testing has become popular as recognition of the test is associated with better opportunities in foreign employment.

source: The Himalayan Times, 16 may 2012