Hardly a fourth into the beginning of the commercial operation of the Vizhinjam international seaport, the port has given employment to a total of 774 people to date, and 69% of whom employed in the port are Keralites. Of the 534 people from Kerala who were appointed, 453 are from Thiruvananthapuram district. Of these, 286 are residents of Vizhinjam.
According to Ports Minister V.N. Vasavan, the State government had earlier announced that the port project will create numerous local job opportunities when it becomes a reality. Speaking after distributing certificates and announcing placements to those who completed training at the Vizhinjam Skill Development Centre at the port office here on Thursday, he said the skill development centre, under the auspices of Additional Skill Acquisition Programme (ASAP), has become a major centre that opens up job opportunities for the youth, especially those in the coastal region, through skill training.
Jobs at port
Those who have completed their studies and training at the skill development centre are now getting jobs at the Vizhinjam port. The port will open up huge development opportunities for Kerala as road and rail connectivity start facilitating freight transport. The State government is working towards fully equipping the port by 2028.
As Vizhinjam is able to handle a large portion of the country’s freight traffic, it will also create plenty of job opportunities in Kerala. The Minister gave certificates and placement orders to eight internal transfer vehicle (ITV) drivers and six lashers who were trained at the centre. He also handed over a contract to the women’s group ‘V Smart,’ entrusting them with the responsibility of cleaning the entire port.
Training courses are being conducted in the fields of lashers, ITV drivers, and housekeeping through the Vizhinjam Community Skill Park. All those who have completed training, including three batches of ITV and two batches of lasher courses, have been employed at the port.
Published – April 10, 2025 08:30 pm IST
