Prime Minister Imran Khan, flanked by Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mehmoud, launched on January 9, 2020 the Hunarmand Pakistan programme - the country's largest-ever skilled development programme aimed at enhancing the skills of youth through quality professional training.
Sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Education, the programme is part of an ambitious Kamyab Jawan project which will facilitate youth through easy loans, professional capacity-building, start-ups and internships.
In the first phase, around 170,000 youth will be given professional skill-based training, of which 50,000 will be trained in areas of artificial intelligence, robotics, cloud computing and other advanced areas of technology.
Over 50,000 youth will be given training at the Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority in conventional areas including auto-mechanics, plumbing, whereas 20,000 youth will be offered apprenticeship.
The introduction of the programme is a remarkable feat, both in terms of its roll-out and the recognition by the government of the importance of vocational training for the industrial growth of the country.
It was way back in the late 1950s and 1960s that the then leadership recognised the importance of skilled manpower for the economic growth of the budding nation. It was at that time when state of art vocational training centres such as Swedish, Swiss and German training centres were established which churned out skilled talent to manage and fuel country's economic growth.
In addition, the then governments motivated the corporate sector to make vocational training arrangements at their facilities as part of corporate social responsibility.
Siemens Pakistan used to regularly run an extensive and quality three-year apprentice programme where part of the pass-outs were absorbed by the company itself.
The initial push was sustained for a few years as vocational training was never a priority of any of successive governments. The vacuum to some extent was filled by private philanthropists.
Pakistan missed out on a number of local and overseas opportunities for the effective employment of its youth. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is one of such opportunities. In many mega projects executed by China, in the energy and infrastructure sector under CPEC, Pakistan's skilled workforce could not be much accommodated as they lack the required skills and certification as per international standards.
'Hunarmand Pakistan' is expected to deliver to the nation a trained workforce which could come up to skill levels as per international norms and practices to secure a due share of employment opportunities in the CPEC projects and other industrial and service sector. Special Economic Zones (SEZs), being established countrywide, constitute another great opportunity for our skilled workforce.
Also, for overseas opportunities, our well qualified and trained skilled workforce has a better opportunity to secure rewarding and skilled jobs as against largely menial jobs.
The biggest challenge programme however faces is its sustainability. Often the programmes rolled out by one government are ignored by successive governments - more out of political short-mindedness than in the national interest.
Some of the excellent work carried out to position Pakistan's Higher Education Programme at global acceptance levels by Dr Atta-ur-Rehman was washed away by successive governments.
The best guarantee for the sustainability of the programme is its fast and effective implementation so that it is well established in the system and a bit immune to unwarranted changes. The nation looks forward to an early implementation of 'Hunarmand Pakistan' programme on ground.
(The writer is former President of Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry)