Region should grab the CPEC opportunity: GB Speaker

Skardu: China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) offers growth to the whole region so everyone should grab the opportunity provided by the mega plan, Speaker Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Legislative Assembly Syed Amjad Ali Zaidi said.

He expressed these remarks while addressing a donors’ conference organized by Directorate of Technical Education and Skills Development (DTESD), GB, in collaboration Technical Vocational Education and Training Sector Support Programme (TVET SSP) here.

While welcoming multiple initiatives of TVET SSP and international donors for producing skilled manpower in the region, Syed Amjad Ali Zaidi stressed that the whole region can share the benefits of the CPEC.

The GB Speaker mentioned that in the CPEC scenario, the region was witnessing a number of mega economic interventions especially construction of dams and roads network, unexplored mineral resources, tourism, trade, renewable energy and emerging Information Technology (IT) sector which was a huge job market and “We can get major benefits of this market by producing a skilled force.”

“To cater to this situation, it requires an effective TVET system that can adapt and produce the required trained workforce in GB, so that upcoming positions can be filled by a Pakistani work force,” he maintained.

The Speaker also remarked that the partnership between DTESD, TVET SSP and other development partners would help train the required workforce to meet the challenges for prosperity and economic growth in GB.

Addressing the audience, Ovidiu Mic said that the collaborative efforts of various development partners in this region could further build on what EU and its development partners had initiated with our engagement over the past decade. This region has a lot of scope for a variety of skills in sectors such as construction, engineering, hospitality, information technology, and renewable energy, and “We look forward to continuing our engagement in the TVET sector here.”

The TVET SSP, which is funded by European Union, Germany and the Royal Norwegian Embassy, is implemented by the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NVTTC) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), in collaboration with regional TEVTAs, PVTC and regional TVET bodies like GB DTESD.

The GB government is taking concrete steps for the promotion of TVET sector through the approval of the TVET Act 2018 of Gilgit Baltistan. The legislative process has opened doors for real-time reforms in the TVET Sector of this remote region.

Some key initiatives of TVET SSP in Gilgit-Baltistan include human resource development and private sector engagement in TVET.

Through this conference, the GB government provided a platform to present a roadmap for sustainability of interventions of TVET SSP carried out since 2011 in the region.

It will also encourage the TVET sector to attract donors and partners for the funding of key areas of the 5-year TVET Policy Implementation Plan and Gilgit Baltistan TVET Strategy (2021-30).

Purpose of the event was to ensure sustainability as well as promotion of TVET programmes in the region through enhanced collaboration of donors, according to an official statement.

GB Education Minister Raja Azam Khan, Secretary Education Iqbal Hussain Khan, Head of Cooperation of EU Delegation in Pakistan Ovidiu Mic, Head of TVET SSP Iris Cordelia Rotzoll, Director TESD Faizullah Lone along with representatives from donors’ organizations attended the conference.