By Minahil Makhdoom
ISLAMABAD: The Government of Japan has extended grant assistance of JPY 500 million (approximately PKR 700 million) for enhancing the educational functions of the National Textile University (NTU) in Faisalabad. Documents to this effect were signed and exchanged between Mr Matsuda Kuninori, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, and Dr Syed Pervaiz Abbas, Secretary of the Economic Affairs Division in Islamabad, on Thursday.
National Textile University (NTU) is the only national university of Pakistan specialized in textile education in Faisalabad, a heartland of cotton production, producing thousands of quality graduates in the textile industry. In this program, Ring Spinning Machine, Electronic Flat Knitting Machine, Carbon Fiber Rapier Looms and other equipment will be provided to the NTU.
The Japanese government has initiated process of importing skilled manpower from Pakistan in 14 different sectors aimed to providing employment opportunities for Pakistanis labor force, Minister and Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Japan in Pakistan Yusuke Shindo stated.
Sharing strategy and action plan here Thursday, he said that application have been invited from skilled Pakistanis, who can submit their application along with their particulars by April 27 for recruitment in relevant sectors.
The candidates would have to go through Japanese language test in July 2020 before their final selection for recruitment, he said adding that the test would be conducted at National University of Modern Languages (NUML) Islamabad. The diplomat said that three different categories were part of plan including Technical Intern, ‘Specified Skilled Workers’ and highly skilled professional.
He said that in Japanese Market, Pakistan has a huge share in importing 3, 45 000 skilled manpower from 10 countries of the world. Yusuke Shindo said the Government of Pakistan (GoP) had nominated, National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) and National University of Technology (NUTEC) for carrying out necessary service including recruitment of candidates in collaboration with Japanese counterparts.
He also emphasized that the Japanese embassy in Islamabad had not hired any other promoter or facilitator for continuing the process of labor import from Pakistan, instead of these two above mentioned institution nominated by Pakistan’s government.
Senior diplomat said that the process of recruitment would continue every year for next five years to import the labor according to the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) signed between Japan and Pakistan in December 23, 2019 in Islamabad.
He made it clear that there was no particular quota for any of these 10 countries around the world and hoped that Pakistani would get maximum benefits from this huge opportunity in the Japanese market.
Mentioning the skilled and language proficiency for all three categories, he said that purpose of first category of ‘Technical Intern Training’ program is to transfer technical skills, techniques and knowledge to foreign countries including Pakistan, through an experience of ‘On Job Training (OJT) to contribute to the human resources development in Pakistan.
