By Uzma Zafar
ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Monday said skilled manpower was important to meet the needs of the industrial sector and to put the country on the path of socio-economic development.
Chairing a meeting of the Advisory Council of National Skills University (NSU), he said provision of skills by universities and training institutes could significantly help in generating employment opportunities in the country.
The meeting attended by Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood, Vice Chancellor NSU Dr Muhammad Mukhtar and members of the Advisory Council.
The president stressed the need for establishing linkages and partnerships between NSU and the industrial sector, saying that collaboration was critical in imparting marketable skills and creating employment opportunities for youth.
He said that the industrial sector in the country was facing a shortage of skilled workforce and urged the NSU and other technical training institutes to produce employable graduates as per the requirements of the market. The president emphasized on raising awareness about the training and skill development programmes being offered by the university.
The Vice Chancellor briefed the meeting about the role of NSU in imparting skill-based and technical education. He said the Advisory Council would help in providing inputs to the NSU academic programmes to ensure that the training and skills courses, and educational programmes were linked to the demands and needs of the industry.
Besides, President Dr Arif Alvi on Monday said steps were being taken in the country to provide a congenial business environment to attract foreign investment.
He said the reforms initiated by the government to improve the ease of doing business had delivered results and Pakistan’s rank in international rankings had improved from 136th to 108th position.
The President made these remarks while talking to a delegation of the Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI), led by President QCCI Fida Hussain Dashti, here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr. The president said the government was focusing on facilitating and strengthening the business and the industrial sectors and in this regard, had provided maximum relief to the trader community and other vulnerable segments of society during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He highlighted that the government had allocated Rs 100 billion under the Kamyab Jawan Program in order to promote entrepreneurship and Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the country and provide business loans to youth on easy terms and conditions.
The delegation informed the president about the contributions of the Quetta’s business community in the national economy and apprised him about their problems.
