Rs1.7b contracts awarded for developing skills

LAHORE:

The Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF), in its efforts to promote need-based vocational training, has launched the third round of a major scheme and awarded contracts worth Rs1.7 billion to 44 service providers.

PSDF has engaged a host of training institutes from the public and private sectors for imparting quality vocational training in 118 trades.

Under the scheme – Skills for Job 2014-15 – more than 24,000 people will be trained in seven districts of Punjab including Lahore, Sheikhupura, Faisalabad, Chiniot, Sargodha, Gujranwala and Narowal.

“PSDF has trained more than 55,000 people from 14 districts of Punjab and the current scheme will contribute further to developing the employable workforce, which will be a great asset for the country,” said PSDF Chief Executive Officer Ali Sarfraz at a ceremony held here on Wednesday.

Sarfraz said the fund followed a competitive model for the award of contracts in order to ensure transparency and help enhance the quality of training.

Owing to the informal vocational and technical training system prevalent across the country, the manpower had remained unable to enjoy better wages in domestic and international job markets, he said.

Sarfraz stressed that PSDF had launched most of its training schemes after conducting research to gauge the labour market needs, which would ensure abundant opportunities for income generation for the trainees.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 6^th, 2014.

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