ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Education and Technical Training Shafqat Mahmood said that the greatest need of the time is for technical skills and industrial vocational education which is the guarantor of rapid development and prosperity. Keeping in view the importance of vocational training and skills of the youth, the Prime Minister of Pakistan has launched revolutionary programs for the said sector which will be successful with the help of local industry. Under them, high tech and modern style vocational education and training will be important for the youth. The way will be paved for the achievement and the youth of the country and the nation will set the stage for development. He expressed these views during a meeting with Chairman Skill Development Council Islamabad M. Akram Farid. Chairman SDC Islamabad said that he has already signed a memorandum of understanding with the Islamabad Industrial Association, NTB, Chambers and Associations, under which the Skill Development Council and the Industry would be benefit from each other’s experiences. He said that practical education in vocational education would be ensured and the concept of “Ustaad –Shagird” traditional training System should be abolished. Chairman SDC further said that in order to trained the youth Government can used free of Cost modern lab facility of Industry such as pharmaceutical, flourmills, steel oil and Ghee and others.
Our more than 70 million people are employed in other countries, most of these young people are serving abroad by taking short-term courses in technical education, of course those countries that have made vocational education as a part of their general education and their pace of economic growth is high.
The annual revenue of $24 billion could be increased up to $40 billion within two years by equipping the youth with skills. Moreover he said that the industry has played a key role in creating jobs, Students are benefiting from the use of industrial labs and other equipments. we lag far behind other countries in product manufacturing and are spending heavily on foreign exchange imports. We need to harness the potential of our youth for the production and growth of goods so that they can run the technical and productive sectors on the right track and the country can move forward. Under the Skill Development Council Islamabad, technical and professional courses for men and women are being introduced which are in high demand abroad. Consumption opportunities in various industries are also increasing in Pakistan. He presented the annual activity report of Industry, Employers Federation of Pakistan and Skill Development Council Islamabad to Federal Minister for Education and Technical Training to Shafqat Mahmood.