Promotion: MoU signed to bring innovation in stone industry

PASDEC, SDC to cooperate to produce skilled manpower.

ISLAMABAD: A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Pakistan Stones Development Company (Pasdec) and Skills Development Council (SDC) Islamabad to promote training-industry linkages and conduct joint research to facilitate advancement and innovation in the stone industry.

SDC Chairman Mian Akram Farid and Pasdec Chairman Agha Shahid N Khan signed the MoU at the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI).

ICCI Acting President Muhammad Shakeel Munir, while speaking at the ceremony, said majority of Pakistan’s population comprised youth and the SDC should launch demand-driven technical training and skills development programmes to turn the youth into well-trained and skilled manpower for the industry.

“To improve our exports, it is essential that our skill development institutes impart vocational training to meet global standards.”

He suggested that the SDC should get affiliated with an internationally-recognised training body. “That will not only benefit the local industry but will also facilitate easy absorption of our trained manpower in the international job market.”

SDC Chairman Mian Akram Farid said in order to bring innovation and value addition in the stone industry, both organisations must enhance mutual cooperation in different areas to provide need-based training.

“The MoU will be helpful in improving global competitiveness of our stone products and promote exports,” he said.

Pasdec Chairman Agha Shahid N Khan highlighted the role of his organisation in promoting the stone industry and said they had many new initiatives to further develop the marble and granite sector to make it an efficient and fast-growing industry.

He said Pasdec was focused on reducing quarrying wastage from 85% to 45% by introducing latest technology and modern methods.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 18^th, 2014.

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