German envoy stresses on sustaining skills development

KARACHI: Consul General of Germany in Karachi, Holger Ziegeler while assuring of continued support for technical and vocational education and training, urged the government and private sector to ensure sustainability in skills development for more job opportunities, which lead to economic stability.

He was talking at a ceremony ‘Showcasing of TVET Reforms in Sindh and Balochistan’ organised by the donors-funded TVET Sector Support Programme (SSP) to highlight the programme’s decade-long achievements. TVET SSP has been collaborating with the federal government to reform the TVET sector since 2011.

Launch of TVET Policy, National Vocational Qualification Framework, competency-based training approach and engagement of private sector in the reform process were the key paradigm-shifts brought by the government in the past 10 years with the support of TVET SSP.

The programme has been commissioned by the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and is being implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaftfür Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in collaboration with the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), provincial Technical Education and Vocational Training Authorities (TEVTAs) and large number of private sector organisations.

Ziegeler said he sees great potential in not only relying on jobs, but also entrepreneurship models and development of small and medium level enterprises for people to benefit from economic opportunities in Pakistan.

“We hope that the TVET SSP continues to bring change in the lives of people of Pakistan and will ensure sustainable growth for the society and the economy of Pakistan,” he added.

Sindh Chief Secretary Mumtaz Ali Shah was the chief guest, whereas GIZ Pakistan Country Director Tobias Becker, TVET SSP head Iris Cordelia Rotzoll, NAVTTC Chairman Syed Javed Hassan and all the stakeholders of TVET SSP attended the event.

Shah said that after a decade of reforms in TVET sector and with the support of the European Union, Germany and Norwegian Embassy, Pakistan was moving towards sustainable socioeconomic growth. “Our huge pool of young graduates entering the job market every year can now have maximum job opportunities and entrepreneurship options to avail through their skills polished thanks to TVET SSP,” he added.

Earlier, in her welcome remarks, Iris Cordelia Rotzoll said TVET reforms initiated in 2011 by the government of Pakistan were the best initiative for the people, especially for the youth to bring them in the mainstream of skilled work force.

“We are satisfied that TVET SSP assists the government in the great cause and it achieved the best output,” she maintained.

NAVTTC chairman said initiatives like TVET SSP were essential to bring opportunities for youth to compete in the national and international labour markets. NAVTTC, in close collaboration with the GIZ, was equipping thousands of young people with competency-based trainings and preparing them for employment opportunities for skilled workers.

Tobias Becker remarked that Pakistan was a country with great potential not only in physical resources but in human resource too. “We have just to polish the skills of youth and they emerged as the best skilled force for working in national and international labour market as well. TVET SSP being the flagship programme of GIZ is showing encouraging results,” he added.