Donors, govt officials deliberate strategy for effective implementation of 5-year TVET programme in Gilgit-Baltistan
SKARDU Oct 25: Participants of a conference here on Monday stressed the need for equipping youth with technical and vocational education and training (TVET) to prepare them for the market needs and challenges.
There are a lot of opportunities in the construction, hospitality, power and tourism sectors in Gilgit-Baltistan that need to be explored and developed through collaborative efforts, they said.
They were speaking at a donors’ conference for the development of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in the region at a local hotel on Monday.
The conference was organized by the Directorate of Technical Education and Skills Development (DTESD), Gilgit-Baltistan with the facilitation of the TVET Sector Support Programme (TVET-SSP).
Funded by the European Union, Germany and the Norwegian embassy, the programme is implemented by the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission and the German organization, GIZ, in collaboration with regional bodies.
Speaking on the occasion, GB’s Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid said: “in the CPEC scenario, GB is witnessing a number of mega economic interventions, including the construction of dams and road networks, exploration of mineral resources, tourism, trade and commerce, renewable energy and emerging IT sector.
There is a need to create opportunities for and prepare a skilled labour force in GB through an effective technical and vocational system for the upcoming positions.
He hoped that the partnership between development partners will help train the required workforce to meet the challenges.
Ovidiu Mic, Head of Cooperation of the EU Delegation said collaborative efforts can further build on what EU and its development partners have initiated with our engagement over the past decade.
“This region has a lot of scope for a variety of skills in construction, engineering, hospitality, information technology, and renewable energy, and we look forward to continuing our engagement in the technical and vocational sector here,” he said.
Some key interventions of TVET SSP in Gilgit-Baltistan include human resource development and private sector engagement.
On the sidelines of the conference, a workshop was also organized for the sustainability of the achievements under TVET SSP and beyond. It further provided the basis for the TVET sector to attract donors and partners for the funding of key areas of the five-year Policy Implementation Plan and Gilgit Baltistan TVET Strategy (2021-30).
The conference was followed by a Rozgar Mela on the follow-on day at the government vocational training sector where 80 RPL and CBT graduates tried their skills for multiple job opportunities. They were also given certificates.