ISLAMABAD: The Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF) and the National Vocational and TechnicalTraining Commission (NAVTTC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) through which PSDF will impart training on behalf of NAVTTC among the youth across the country.

Speaking on the occasion, PSDF Chief Operating Offi cer Ali Akbar Bosan stressed the need to learn international practices and improve the local curriculum to global standards.

“There is a need to bridge the gap between the local and international curriculum so the country produces skilled manpower in accordance with international demand,” Mr Bosan said, adding that by doing so, the Pakistani workforce can place itself better in the international market.

NAVTCC Chairperson Gulmina Bilal Ahmad urged imposing the youth emergency.

“There is a need to take targeted steps to stop failing the youth and make them useful and important to society.

There is also a need to focus more on Balochistan for churning out more and more trainingthere,” she said.

PSDF Board member Dr Ijaz Nabi observed that by signing the MoU with NAVTTC, the PSDF has now been moving towards its objective of creating a skill development institution.

He further suggested expanding the PSDF across the country and industries other than through government funding.

By the virtue of MoU, the outreach of PSDF has now expanded across the country, previously limited to Punjab.

As per a statement, collaborative efforts would be made in digital training and certifi cations of locally trained youth so they could be placed in the international market easily.

“Both the organisations also agreed to conduct the sector studies and training need analysis (TNA) for local and international demand generation, other than the studies and impact evaluations of the skills training programmes.

Both the organisations will collaborate in imparting skills training to the youth of the country throughtraining programmes in the construction, hospitality, and IT sectors.

These trainings will be imparted with a focus on at least 30 per cent of graduates getting employment,” it stated.

The training would be imparted in 16 districts across the country, including Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Rahim Yar Khan, Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Peshawar, Nowshera, Abbottabad, Quetta, Gilgit, and Muzaffarabad.

Furthermore, both organisations have agreed to collaborate on curriculum upgrades.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2024