Kerala is one of the badly affected states by the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, frequent cyclones, rains and floods have added to the joblessness of the people of Kerala. So much so, that they are now looking for employment outside the country.
Recently, a seminar was organized by the Overseas Development and Employment Promotion Consultant (ODEPC – a Kerala government undertaking), in collaboration with a famous South Korean agricultural company in Thiruvananthpuram (capital city of Kerala).
The event was held to introduce the agricultural practices of South Korea for those interested to take up farm jobs there. Around 700 people including engineering and MBA qualifications showed up at the event in search of employment opportunities.
Through the government agency of ODEPC, South Korea is going to recruit around 100 people to work on the onion farms of the Sinan and Muan islands of South Korea.
5000 applications have been received so far according to ODEPC, out of which suitable candidates will be screened and shortlisted.
The required qualification for this job is a class X certificate and comes with a good monthly salary of $1500, i.e., around Rs 1, 12,500/- per month. This employment offer is too good to reject for the youths of Kerala, but it also comes with some difficulty for them to be faced.
The recruited laborers will have 28 working days in a month and 9 working hours in a day, with just 2 days off. The challenging climate of the region is another concern, where temperature can dip to minus 20 degrees Celsius.
Also, it will be the responsibility of the recruited laborers to find food and accommodation arrangements by themselves.
Although the salary is appealing, it will take a lot of effort and hard work for the recruits to earn it.
