Chairman of the Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (Tevta) Brigadier Retd Muhammad Sajid Khokhar has umphasised the urgent need for strong linkages between industry and academia to ensure the development of a skilled workforce aligned with industry needs.
He made these remarks while addressing a gathering of business people at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry. LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad, Senior Vice President Engineer Khalid Usman and Vice President Shahid Nazir Chaudhry also spoke on the occasion while Executive Committee Members Engineer Iftikhar ahmad, Syed Hassan Raza and Abdul Majeed were also present.
The Tevta chairman informed that the authority is operating 388 institutions where over 160 courses ranging from three months to four years in duration are being offered. Agreeing with the points raised by LCCI President, he assured that they will be duly considered.
He said that Tevta is actively working to improve the quality of teachers, training equipment, and materials. He further informed the participants that the curriculum is being updated in consultation with industry stakeholders.
Khokhar added that special focus is being placed on the fields of information technology, construction and hospitality. The courses he told are being designed in line with overseas employment opportunities to ensure trainees don not face difficulties in securing jobs abroad.
Besides, five language courses have also been introduced to enhance students' international communication skills.
LCCI President Shad expressed his full support in uplifting the current standard of technical and vocational training in collaboration with Tevta. He suggested establishing district-level Industry Skills Councils under Tevta, enabling the private sector to actively participate in the design and development of training programmes.
Shad, in his address, proposed that involving regional chambers of commerce could be pivotal in supporting this process.
He also urged Tevta to upgrade its institutions and introduce modern courses that meet contemporary demands. "This is the ideal time to revise the curriculum across all skill development institutions to make youth more competitive and employable," LCCI president said and stressed that every graduate from Teveta should be equipped with such strong skills that they are on par with global standards and easily able to secure better jobs.
During the meeting, recommendations were made to bring all skill development institutions in Punjab under one regulatory authority. LCCI office bearers noted that LCCI has always advocated for stronger industry-academia linkages. They expressed a desire to further strengthen ties with Tevta and include all technical institutions in this collaborative network.
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