NAVTEC to provide vocational training to 500,000 youth

Chairman National Vocational and Technical Education Commission (NAVTEC), Mumtaz Akhtar Kahloon has said they would provide vocational training to 500,000 unemployed youth as the Commission has managed funds from donors. He also announced that NAVTEC will give interest free loans of Rs 50,000 to the certificate holders of NAVTEC.
He was addressing the certificate distribution ceremony at Pakistan Readymade Garments Technical Training Institutes (PRGTTI). Chairman PRGMEA, Ijaz. A. Khokar, Executive Director NAVTEC, Tariq Shafi Chak and Project Director PRGTTI, Kamran Yousaf Sandu were present on the occasion.
He said that NAVTEC successfully trained over 147,000 youth and majority of them were now employed at different organisations. Kahloon said that banks should give interest free loans to youth for technical education. He also assured the support of the NAVTEC to Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA) for technical training of readymade garments to unskilled work force. He said the NAVTEC would take it as a model project for readymade garments industry.
He said that the country was facing shortage of skilled workforce in the value-added textile sector of the country and government realises the importance of skilled manpower, as it is prerequisite for country's economic development. The chairman NAVTEC said the government started two programmes 'President's Funni Maharat Programme' and 'PM Hunarmand Pakistan Programme' throughout the country in its backward areas on priority basis to produce skilled manpower.
Speaking on the occasion, the chairman PRGMEA urged the organisation to ensure job to the youngsters who get training from there. He said training should be imparted keeping in view local demand of the industry. He said that trained workforce could be sent to Middle East and other countries.
Khokhar told the media that the export of readymade garments could be doubled within next 3 years provided required skilled workforce is available, as there is a great demand of readymade garments from overseas. The chairman PRGMEA said that the association was already running Pakistan Readymade Garments Technical Training Institutes (PRGTTI) in Karachi and Lahore for male and female workforce under joint venture with the Ministry of Textile Industry. He said that PRGMEA is planning to establish PRGTTI at Sialkot and NAVTEC assures to extend every kind of support to PRGMEA in conducting courses for skilled manpower.-PR