Job placement opportunities for the EIG target population in Lucknow, India

The objectives of the study were to explore potential job opportunities, find out the working environment for Nepalese youth, identify the value of vocational training for income generation, and identify job placement modality. The study team consisted of two members: Mr. Pradeep Kumar Gupta, Deputy Secretary General of Nepalgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Mr. Yukta Narayan Shrestha, Employment Coordinator of FNCCI/EIG. The study adopted a qualitative approach, involving meetings and discussions with representatives of business membership organizations, Nepalese workers, and collection and review of secondary information. Lucknow is a major city in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, with a population of over 20 million. The city has a well-developed health, transportation, education, electricity, and communication system. Nepalese workers are majorly employed as waiters/room persons in hotels and restaurants, sales-people, and security guards in residences and offices. They are perceived as honest, gentle, hard working, open towards learning, and regular in their work attendance. The hiring process for Nepalese workers is informal, and they do not receive recruitment letters. There is no set salary scale, and salary negotiation is informal. A worker's final salary depends on variable factors such as employer's perception of the worker's skill-level, negotiation skills of the worker, and influence of the middleman on the employer. Nepalese workers lack leverage against employers for negotiation of salary, promotion, or any additional benefits due to the informal nature of the business and low skill and literacy of majority of Nepalese workers. Employment opportunities are emerging in Lucknow due to a prospering economy, increasing urbanization, and development of new and improved roads, underground railway lines, and various public and corporate office buildings. The demand for a skilled labor force in sectors such as hotel, trade, industry, driving, and securities is increasing. However, workers coming to Lucknow should have skills to handle automotive and semi-automotive equipment, which require more than one year of training. The construction sector has been providing employment to a large number of workers, but the daily wage for semi-skilled workers is not attractive to Nepalese migrant workers.