Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed the relevant authorities to give special attention to equipping young people, particularly women, with skills to ensure their participation in new employment opportunities.
PM directs skills training for youth, women to unlock new job opportunities
ISLAMABAD, Aug 18 (APP): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed the relevant authorities to give special attention to equipping young people, particularly women, with skills to ensure their participation in new employment opportunities.
Chairing a review meeting on implementation of the National Youth Employment Policy, the prime minister stressed the need to give special attention to providing employment opportunities to young people across the country, particularly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He said that institutional reforms had been introduced in National Vocational and Technical Training Center (NAVTTC) and Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) to align the country’s skilled workforce with business and industrial demand, both domestically and internationally.
The prime minister said that a review meeting on progress regarding the implementation of the National Youth Employment Policy should be held every month.
“Providing dignified employment to the country’s skilled and talented youth is among the government’s top priorities,” the prime minister said adding that the launch of the country’s first National Youth Employment Policy by the government reflects our sincere efforts.
He emphasized that inter-ministerial cooperation and a comprehensive strategy were essential for implementing initiatives under the policy.
He also issued special directions to launch awareness campaign aimed at informing young people about the benefits available to them under the policy.
During the meeting, it was informed that the NAVTTC was taking special measures to provide workers with international certifications and proficiency in the languages required for employment abroad.
It was further informed that young people were being trained according to market demand to facilitate employment opportunities overseas.
“Government initiatives have also enabled the Digital Youth Hub to provide young people across the country with information on domestic and international employment opportunities through a single platform.”
The meeting was further told that all ministries and relevant institutions were working together through coordination and consultation to ensure effective implementation of the National Youth Employment Policy.
Youth Development Cells are being established in educational institutions. These cells will provide young people with guidance and career counseling, while also informing them about employment and skills-development opportunities, the meeting was informed.
Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, Rana Mashhood, also briefed the prime minister on the measures taken in accordance with his directives.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar; Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal; Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema; Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar; Minister for Climate Change Musadik Malik; Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja; Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme Rana Mashhood; and other senior officials of relevant government institutions.
