Kathmandu Skill Fair 2082: Empowering Youth with Job-Ready Training
6th May 2025, Kathmandu
Kathmandu Metropolitan City will organize the Skill Fair 2082 at Tundikhel starting Jestha 7, 2082 (May 20, 2025). This major event aims to provide 2,082 participants with skill development training and empower youth with practical, job-ready skills.
Kathmandu Skill Fair 2082
Kathmandu’s Mayor Balendra Shah (Balen) made the announcement, emphasizing the fair’s role in promoting a safe, structured, and sustainable labor market in Nepal. The fair coincides with the International Workers’ Day 2082 celebrations.
Skill Fair 2082: A Step Toward Youth Empowerment
The Skill Fair Kathmandu is part of the city’s flagship initiative called “Employment and Income Growth: Kathmandu’s Prosperity”, launched in the fiscal year 2080/81. The program’s main goal is to train 15,000 youths and ensure at least 5,000 secure employment or self-employment opportunities within Nepal.
According to the city administration, the fair is more than just an event. It is a strategic intervention to bridge the skills gap in Nepal’s labor market and reduce youth migration for foreign employment.
Why Kathmandu’s Skill Fair Matters?
The skill fair is important for several reasons:
Nepal’s job market lacks skilled manpower, despite increasing demand across industries.
Many young people are leaving the country for foreign employment, unaware of local opportunities.
The fair aims to equip young people with practical skills, making them competitive in the domestic labor market.
It also supports inclusive growth by prioritizing disadvantaged communities.
Who Can Participate in Skill Fair 2082?
The Skill Fair 2082 in Tundikhel is open to all Nepali citizens, but specific groups will be prioritized:
Applicants who filled out forms last year but didn’t receive training
Residents (temporary or permanent) of Kathmandu Metropolitan City
Individuals from areas affected by landfill sites, such as Dhunibesi and Kakani
Persons with disabilities
People who were previously engaged in street or cart-based businesses
This inclusive approach ensures that no one is left behind in Nepal’s growing skill economy.
Wide Range of Training Options Based on Market Demand
The fair will provide training in 30 professions under 10 different skill categories. These were selected based on labor market needs, industry demand, and social relevance.
Participants will receive:
Basic skill training for first-timers
Advanced and upgrade training for those who already have basic knowledge
On-the-job training opportunities in collaboration with partner industries and companies
The goal is to create a skilled workforce ready for formal employment or entrepreneurship.
Looking Back: The First Skill Fair’s Success in 2081
The first edition of the Kathmandu Skill Fair, held in 2081, was a great success. Over 68,800 people applied for training. Although the target was 2,081 trainees, the program managed to train 2,575 individuals.
Many of those trained have already entered the job market or started their businesses. Others are currently undergoing industry-based training through Kathmandu Metropolitan City’s ongoing programs.
Mayor Balen Shah: Linking Skills, Labor, and Productivity
Mayor Balen Shah has stressed that linking education to skills, skills to labor, and labor to production is key to Nepal’s economic progress. He believes that only a skilled population can drive employment, boost production, and contribute to national development.
The Skill Fair 2082 is part of this broader vision of building a productive, inclusive, and sustainable economy.
Boosting Nepal’s Formal Economy
One of the fair’s long-term goals is to bring informal workers into the formal economy. Many unskilled individuals work in informal sectors with limited income and job security. By providing relevant training and connecting them with job markets, the fair aims to transform lives and improve livelihoods.
Final Thoughts: A Fair for the Future
The Skill Fair 2082 is more than a job training event. It is a movement for youth empowerment, a platform for economic transformation, and a call to retain talent within Nepal.
With Mayor Balen Shah’s leadership, Kathmandu is showing how cities can take the lead in skills development, job creation, and social inclusion. As thousands gather at Tundikhel this May, the hope is that Nepal’s youth will find new pathways to employment, entrepreneurship, and prosperity—right here at home.
For more: Kathmandu Skill Fair 2082
