‘37k youth trained under Hunarmand Pakistan’

SAPM visits NAVTTC, hails skills project

ISLAMABAD:

Almost 37,000 young people were imparted training during six-month courses on traditional and hightech trades under the first phase of 'Hunarmand Pakistan' (Skill for All) programme launched last year. This was said by National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) Executive Director Dr Nasir Khan the other day.

He said more than 20,000 youth who received training were from under-developed areas and were imparted expertise in trades such as welding, plumbing, stitching and cooking. The remaining 17,000 youth from across the country were given training for high-tech trades like artificial intelligence, robotics and cloud computing. The assessment of all trainees has been complete and course-completion certificates were being issued at the moment.

The NAVTTC official said most trainees imparted training had already been recruited by high profile organisations even before their training concluded. "This is a testament to the success of the Kamyab Jawan Programme, which aims to increase the number of country's skilled workforce," he added. The Skill for All project was started in 2020 under the Kamyab Jawan Programme with Rs 10billion seed money. The government-backed programme intends to train 50,000 youth in high-tech and traditional trades in the current year. .

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The second phase of the Hunarmand Pakistan programme has also been launched to train an additional 50,000 youth in conventional and high-tech trades. To date, 170,000 applications have been received under the current phase.

SAPM visits NAVTTC

Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Youth Affairs Muhammad Usman Dar and National Assembly member Shandana Gulzar Khan visited the NAVTTC Headquarters. NAVTTC Chairman Syed Javed Hassan welcomed them and NAVTTC Executive Director Dr Nasir Khan briefed them on the progress and development of the ongoing Hunarmand Pakistan Programme.

“NAVTTC’s initiatives under the umbrella of Prime Minister’s Hunarmand Pakistan Programme will not only change the TVET landscape in Pakistan by bringing it on par with international standards but further enhance the employability of our youth in the international market, giving a huge boost in foreign remittances”, the NAVTTC Chairman said. Dar said the government is making serious efforts for youth inclusivity in the economic development of the country.

“Investing in our youth in terms of capacity building for the jobs market is our prime objective. Our focus is on imparting relevant and required skills to our youth,” Dar said during the briefing session.” He appreciated the initiative of NAVTTC to introduce agriculturebased training programmes and highlighted the need to further expand the scope of the skill development of youth in emerging agriculture sector technologies. Commenting on NAVTTC’s initiatives Usman Dar said that implementing such well-planned programmes will contribute to achieving the desired goals of producing highly qualified and skilled youth and improving the image of Pakistan’s TEVT sector globally.

Later, he visited the newly established National Accreditation Council (NAC). Member National Assembly Shandana Gulzar Khan lauded NAVTTC efforts to equip youth with quality skills. Chairman NAVTTC thanked the Special Assistant and member national Assembly for their support in implementing the TVET reform agenda.