Lack of skilled staff major constraint on economic growth

The acute shortage of adequately skilled personnel in public and private sector organisations is a major constraint in the growth of the economy.
This was the consensus developed at a conference on "HR Development in Infrastructure and Transport" organised by the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) in collaboration with Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (an international institution with world-wide membership of almost 40,000 professionals in the logistics and transport sector).
LCCI President Mohammad Ali Mian, former Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission Dr M.Akram Sheikh, Tahir Raza Naqvi, Secretary, Commerce and Investment, Ghulam Mahmood Dogar, SSP Traffic Police, Professor Tanvir Iqbal Qayyum, Chairman, Department of Transport Engineering and Management, World Bank Consultant Sardar Mohammad Humayun and Chairman LCCI Standing Committee on Transport and Logistics Mohammad Anwar also spoke on the occasion.
This was the second of a series of events planned by LCCI/CILT for 2008 focusing on various aspects of the economy that needed urgent improvement. The LCCI president in his address mentioned that it was a well-known fact that Pakistan suffers from a dearth in infrastructure that includes water and irrigation, power and energy, as well as transport and logistics. As a result of these inadequacies the economic activities in the country were at a disadvantage, he regretted.
He emphasised that members of LCCI were experiencing many hardships in doing business, which undermined their competitiveness in a demanding global market. One of the main inadequacies that have been identified was the shortage of adequately skilled human resource in these sectors for the wide range of disciplines requiring university and college education as well as vocational training of non-graduate personnel.
Collective and concerted effort was needed to pool-in the resources of all the stakeholders to address this important issue. He offered the services of the Lahore Chamber's R&D department to work jointly to develop a comprehensive statistical data bank with a view to provide an effective link between those interested in making a career in these industries and the organisations seeking their expertise.
Dr M. Akram Sheikh, former Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission gave a candid view on the subject to a large number of stakeholders representing the business community, the academia and vocational training institutions, government departments, engineers and professionals in the infrastructure, transport and logistic sectors.
The proceedings of the conference summed up by Tahir Raza Naqvi, Secretary, Commerce and Investment, Government of the Punjab, who was chairmman of the Technical Session. Earlier, presentations were made by Sardar Mohammed Humayun Khan, Consultant, World Bank which gave an overview of the complex issues involved and a road map to effectively address them.
Ghulam Mahmood Dogar, SSP Traffic Police, Lahore, emphasising the need to establish a network of driver training schools and vehicle examination facilities within the private sector to supplement the inadequate facilities presently available as these facilities would go a long way in addressing traffic issues.
Professor Dr Tanvir Iqbal Qayyum, Chairman, Department of Transport Engineering and Management also spoke on the occasion. A lively debate amongst the participants followed, which re-emphasised the need to take urgent steps to correct this inadequacy.