Thirty trainees from Niangbarithem village in Meghalaya’s Ri Bhoi district have completed an eight-month training program in mason tiling, marble, granite, and stone work, and they received certificates during a local ceremony.
The skill development effort was implemented by the Northeast Institute of Professional Studies (NIPS) with financial support from the Meghalaya State Skill Development Society (MSSDS) under the Government of Meghalaya. Organizers said the goal is straightforward: give unemployed youth job-ready vocational skills that translate into work in construction or a pathway to start their own services.
At the certificate distribution, MSSDS representative Marba Shangpliang congratulated the group and urged trainees to put their new skills to use. She also pointed to the value of government-supported training, noting that similar instruction can require significant out-of-pocket costs when pursued privately, while this program was offered without training fees.
For mason contractors and stone and tile crews, local training pipelines like this matter because they increase the number of entry-level workers who have already spent months building baseline familiarity with the trade. When hiring from programs like this, contractors still need to match workers to the right scope, such as tile layout, stone setting, or finish work, and reinforce jobsite expectations on quality, production pace, and safety from day one.
The trainees thanked the Government of Meghalaya, MSSDS, and the implementing agency for the opportunity, saying the hands-on skills they gained are tied directly to better livelihoods and more sustainable employment.
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