Skills-development university in the pipeline

Will be established in Islamabad, meant to cater to job requirements

FAISALABAD: Pakistan’s first skill development university will be established in Islamabad to impart international standard training and skills to the youth, said National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) Executive Director Zulfiquar Ahmed Cheema.

He was addressing a seminar on cooperative vocational training (CVT) at the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI).

He said that Pakistan is blessed with unlimited resources including a booming population with hardworking people, all of which would be beneficial for the country if properly utilised. However, in this regard, Pakistan has to equip 80 million youth with international standards skills and vocational training.

“CVT was introduced initially in Lahore and Karachi,” said Cheema. “Now this programme will be extended to the entire county with technical and financial assistance from the EU, Germany, Norway and the Netherlands.”

He hoped that the industrial units of Faisalabad would cooperate in the project as it would not only fulfil their demand of skilled workers but also generate much needed economic activity.

He further said that NAVTTC has already initiated Prime Minister’s Youth Program. During each of its first two phases, 25,000 youth were provided technical training and in the forthcoming third phase, training will be imparted to another 50,000 youth while stipend would also be enhanced from Rs25,000 to Rs30,000.

Former president of the PCCI, Mian Muhammad Adrees, said that Pakistan has only 1.4% jobs for 3.2% youth entering every year in the labour market.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 12^th, 2016.

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