Maryam Nawaz sets ambitious target of skills training for one million youths

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has set a target of providing skills training to one million young people over the next three years, as the provincial government plans to expand technical education, introduce new training programmes and establish specialised centres of excellence.

The target was announced during a meeting chaired by the chief minister in Lahore, where she received a detailed briefing on ongoing and proposed skill development projects.

The meeting approved plans to establish Punjab’s first modern Woodworking Centre of Excellence, alongside specialised centres for electrical work, vehicle-related skills and digital marketing.

The government also decided to introduce a Chief Minister’s Language Learning Programme, under which courses in 13 languages will be offered for the first time in the province.

A digital examination system will also be introduced, featuring online registration, digital examination papers and QR codes. The system is expected to increase examination capacity from 200,000 to 600,000 candidates.

The meeting approved the launch of training and certification programmes in agriculture and heavy machinery operation. It also approved the establishment of Punjab’s first Cleaning and Cleaner Academy.

Under the Punjab Central Cleaning Authority (PCCA), trainees will receive instruction in cleaning support, healthcare, hospitality, domestic assistance and other related fields.

Four hundred thousand trained so far

Officials told the meeting that around 400,000 young people had completed skills training programmes in Punjab, with more than 45 per cent securing employment, while many others had opted to continue their education.

Nearly 175,000 young people trained under the Skills Development and Entrepreneurship Department had secured employment, according to the briefing. More than 38,000 trainees had also obtained jobs abroad.

A breakdown showed that 113,333 trainees had completed courses in the manufacturing sector, of whom more than 50,000 had secured immediate employment.

In the information technology sector, 111,607 young people had received training, with 49,588 finding employment.

In agriculture and livestock, 23,269 people had completed training, while 10,033 had secured jobs.

The construction sector had trained 27,069 people, of whom 12,026 were employed. In the energy sector, 35,227 had completed training and 15,651 had obtained jobs.

A further 15,319 people had received training in hospitality and tourism, with 6,807 securing immediate employment.

The briefing said 90,029 trained individuals had found jobs in local industries, while 53,509 had become self-employed and 38,557 had secured employment overseas. Another 39,325 had chosen to continue their education.

Under the Empowering Women through Information Technology programme, 3,000 women in rural areas were earning an income from home, officials said.

New programmes and training facilities

The meeting was also briefed on plans to expand industry-focused training and upgrade existing facilities.

Under the Mahir programme, the government aims to train 25,000 young people in industrial clusters in Lahore, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Gujranwala and Multan.

The Global Rozgar programme targets training 25,000 young people for jobs in the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector, while the Advance Tech programme will provide 7,500 trainees with international certifications in emerging technologies.

The Rs2.6 billion Haryali programme aims to train 20,000 young people in agriculture and green-environment-related fields.

Under the Pehchaan and Umeed programmes, training has been completed for 2,474 transgender people, while the Umeed programme aims to provide skills training to 10,000 persons with disabilities.

Officials said 15,065 teachers and staff members had also received training in industry practices, management, teaching and skills development.

The government has upgraded 220 computer laboratories, 100 industrial stitching laboratories, 70 solar laboratories and 27 healthcare laboratories, as well as virtual reality welding and electric vehicle laboratories.

Under a further initiative, 69 institutions of the Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA) will provide training to 45,700 young people annually in line with the European Qualifications Framework.

International recognition

The meeting was also informed that an electrician trained at a technical college in Punjab had secured fourth position at the 48th WorldSkills competition in Shanghai.

Maryam was given a detailed briefing on the progress of the province’s skills development initiatives and the planned expansion of training opportunities.