Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, Jun 14: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday urged young people to continuously upgrade their skills and adapt to emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), saying that while some traditional jobs may be affected in the future, new employment opportunities will also emerge.
Addressing a Mega Job Fair organised by the state government in Panaji, Sawant said AI should be viewed as an opportunity rather than a threat.
"In the 21st century and the era of AI, some jobs may be affected, but people must learn AI and adapt to new opportunities. We have to continue learning and upgrading ourselves," he said.
The Chief Minister advised youngsters not to rely solely on government employment and encouraged them to explore the growing opportunities available in the private sector.
More than 150 companies are participating in the job fair, offering over 5,000 vacancies across diverse sectors, including aviation, healthcare, retail, hospitality, manufacturing, automobiles, construction, information technology, telecommunications, banking, financial services, electronics and e-commerce.
Sawant said over 10,000 youths had registered for the event, while around 1,500 candidates had already attended the fair by Sunday afternoon.
"The remaining registered candidates will visit the fair during the day and appear for interviews," he said.
The Chief Minister also called upon participating companies to provide guidance and counselling to job seekers and help them identify suitable career opportunities.
Highlighting the changing employment landscape, Sawant noted that most of the vacancies being offered were white-collar jobs, making specialised skills and continuous learning increasingly important.
"We should take up short-term courses or upgrade our educational qualifications to avail of new employment opportunities," he said.
He added that the state government has already introduced several short-duration skill development programmes aimed at improving employability among youth.
Highlighting the government's efforts to boost employment, Sawant said Goa has organised 12 job fairs so far, helping more than 2,000 young people secure jobs.
He further stated that the placement centre operated by the Labour and Employment Department has facilitated employment for over 800 candidates to date.
The Chief Minister said the government remains committed to enhancing skill development initiatives and creating more opportunities for the state's youth in an increasingly technology-driven economy.