I feel that the introduction of this course is quite timely especially since we are living in an online era.  Last year, during March, it was reported that just one social networking site, Facebook, alone had over 142 million users in India.    Out of that, nearly 133 million (93.66%) accessed the site from their mobile phones. It is known that over 70million people in India use such sites daily. And these networks are also being increasingly used for promoting business.  So, it is not surprising that every business entity prefers to ensure its presence on the Internet.  And, Kerala being one of the states with the highest mobile penetration in India, anything online has great demand here.

       As we all know, the face of the industry in India as well as the rest of the world, is fast transforming into the digital mode.  The market itself has turned virtual, with all products available online. In fact, people also have come to prefer buying things online instead of going to traditional shop counters. Besides, recent emphasis on the reduction of cash transactions and the encouragement given to cashless dealings have introduced more people to the online markets.

       With online existence becoming inevitable, companies are also managing their Public Relations and advertising by using digital tools.  To retain their online image, attaining top ranking in the search process is vital for these business firms. So all the companies are spending more financial resources to train SEO analysts and Digital Marketing experts. That is why global analysts and experts have identified Search Engine Optimization as one of the top skills young people should possess in the year 2017.  In this context, the attempt of the State Resource Centre in offering training and expertise to the students to tap this wonderful opportunity is certainly laudable.

       I understand that this is an eight-module, extensive course, which has been prepared in such a way as to equip the learners with self-learning skills.  The course on SEO and Digital Marketing have also received the most needed Norka attestation which would enable the students to seek jobs outside India, especially in Arab countries. I understand that about 150 job categories are being created in the field such as SEO experts, SEO Managers and specialists, Social Media optimizers and link building experts.

       I am also happy that the State Resource Centre is charging a reduced rate as fee for this course.

       Training in such emerging areas is significant, since it would also help to change or improve the profile of our workforce. At present, I understand that we have around 16.25 lakh Non-Resident Malayalis and 90% of them are working in the Gulf countries. And, among these people, a large number are in blue collar jobs. With more people getting trained in Computer and Internet related work, we can soon see a change in the character of our non-resident work force. 

       I would also suggest that we take the training of people in the unorganized sector more seriously so that their employers get better quality of work and the workers get more security and acceptance in their work. I am certain that State Resource Center, which works to bring the under educated to the mainstream, will take up more such initiatives.

       I compliment the organizers for conducting this function in a befitting manner and wish all the trainees a fruitful career.

Thank you

Jai Hind