LAHORE, Sep 21 (APP):Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) Punjab here Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote literacy among industrial workers and provide university students with practical industrial experience through internship opportunities. Under the MoU, a Student Industrial Literacy Programme will be launched through joint collaboration among LCCI, universities and NCHD. The programme aims to provide literacy facilities to floor-level …
LCCI, NCHD sign MoU for industrial workers’ literacy, student internships
LAHORE, Sep 21 (APP):Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) Punjab here Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote literacy among industrial workers and provide university students with practical industrial experience through internship opportunities.
Under the MoU, a Student Industrial Literacy Programme will be launched through joint collaboration among LCCI, universities and NCHD. The programme aims to provide literacy facilities to floor-level workers in LCCI member industries while offering university students opportunities to gain practical experience in industrial settings.
The programme has set a target of achieving 100 percent literacy among floor-level workers in LCCI member industries within 24 months. Industrial establishments will be encouraged to provide paid educational time of one hour per day, five days a week, for 12 weeks to enable workers to participate in the literacy programme.
Speaking on the occasion, LCCI President Faheem Ur Rehman Saigol said that industrial development requires not only modern technology and investment but also a skilled, educated and capable workforce. He said that providing basic literacy to industrial workers would enhance their personal and professional capabilities while also contributing to improvements in work quality, workplace safety and productivity.
He said that the target of achieving 100 percent literacy in LCCI member industries was a practical and sustainable initiative that would benefit both industry and workers. He added that another important aspect of the programme was connecting university students with industry, enabling them to gain practical experience and apply their academic knowledge in real industrial environments.
Saigol said that LCCI would continue playing its role in strengthening linkages between industry, educational institutions and development organisations so that young people could gain practical opportunities, industry could benefit from a better-trained workforce, and society could develop a more educated and capable workforce.
Under the initiative, university students will also be provided formal internship opportunities in industrial establishments. The students will serve as teachers in the literacy programme while gaining practical exposure to the industrial environment, workforce and requirements of industry.
LCCI will play a role in mobilising its member industries for the programme, preparing lists of potentially illiterate workers, providing logistical support for the selection, training and supervision of teachers, maintaining records, and issuing certificates to workers and supervisors who complete the programme.
NCHD will provide books and teacher guides for the programme, conduct awareness and orientation sessions in industries and partner universities, train teachers, and provide technical assistance and monitoring throughout the programme.
For the pilot phase, LCCI and NCHD will jointly prepare an implementation plan through mutual consultation. A Joint Working Committee comprising one representative each from LCCI, NCHD and the relevant university will be established to oversee the programme, while progress will be reviewed on a monthly basis.
