NAVTTC starts int'l accreditation process to boost country's TVET landscape

As a part of "Hunarmand Pakistan" Project 50 institutes will be internationally accredited

ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) has started accreditation of Pakistan s finest TVET institutes with International institutes aiming to enable Pakistani trainees to access jobs globally and increase foreign remittances.

NAVTTC, in that regard, had conducted five days long online meeting with UK Government Accredited Agency for reviewing quality and performance of five TVET institutes from all over Pakistan to attain international acceptance, recognition and global competitiveness, a press release on Thursday said.

On this occasion, Executive Director NAVTTC, Dr Nasir Khan said, "In Keeping with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan as envisaged in "Hunarmand Pakistan" project, an important part of "Kamyab Jawan" programme, NAVTTC has formally launched the game changing, landmark initiative of international accreditation of its selected institutes through a rigorous process of reforms and qualitative improvement by joining hands with UKNARIC, a world-renowned accrediting agency of the United Kingdom with collaboration by the British Council".

"This initiative would change the TVET landscape in Pakistan by bringing it at par with international standards which would enhance employability of our youth in the international market thus increasing the image of Pakistani skilled workers worldwide and giving huge boost in foreign remittances", Dr Khan added.

Through this guided process of quality checks and assurance and quality improvements, the institutes will attain international accreditation, paving the way for Pakistan s exportable workforce to claim their fair share in the world s employment market on competitive wages, and thereby contribute significantly in the socio-economic development of the country.

As a part of "Hunarmand Pakistan" Project and "Kamyab Jawan" Program, fifty institutes from all over Pakistan will be internationally accredited.

The first batch of five institutes began the process with the UKNARIC expert panel through an online consultation process facilitated by NAVTTC, substituting the physical review by UKNARIC experts planned earlier but postponed due to the COVID-19 situation.

Construction Training Technology Institute (CTTI), Islamabad, ATIN NLC Mandra, Government College of Technology, Railway Road, Lahore, Karachi Tools, Dyes and Moulds Center (KTDMC), Karachi, and the Shipyard Training Institutes, Karachi were the first five training institutes, which participated in this one of a kind review process arranged by NAVTTC in collaboration with British Council.

During the exercise of international accreditation, three experts Dr. Fabrizio Trifirio , Mr. Kevin Kendall, and Peter Jhodson from UKNARIC have thoroughly examined a performance, quality, management structure and academic delivery of the aforementioned institutes with full-day meetings during the span of five days. In this exercise, interviews and discussion with the principals, senior faculty members, management staff and selected students were carried out for reviewing the institutes  quality.

Currently, majority of Pakistani youth are employed in the international market as unskilled workers, earning less than a third of what a skilled worker earns. Skilled workforce are also least vulnerable to any emergency and disaster.

NAVTTC is therefore focusing on providing internationally recognized skill sets to Pakistani youth which could enable them to acquire employment opportunities as skilled workforce in the international market.