PESHAWAR: Speakers at an expo here on Friday urged the government to ensure the skills training of women through practical learning to help them earn a livelihood and play an active role for strengthening economy.

The event was organised by the Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority in collaboration with the TVET Sector Support Programme, which is funded by the European Union and German and Norwegian governments.

Women entrepreneurs and skilled women graduates shared their success stories with participants and showcased their work.

KP Tevta Managing Director Sajjad Ali Shah said skills learning could provide women with better employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.

Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Faiz Mohammad Faizi termed skill development a priority of the province to provide the maximum jobs to young people, including women.

He called for the provision of quality training and skills to students to enable them to meet international standards.

Mr Faizi said the enrolment of women in technical and vocational education and training courses should be increased for the development of a progressive society.

Assistant commissioner of Peshawar Sara Rehman, Misbah Faiz of the Khwateen Rozgar Service, Wafa Wazeer of Zamong Jowand and Gull Chein of the TVET Sector Support Programme spoke on the occasion.

The organisers said the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission on national and regional level in collaboration with the KP Tevta was implementing competency based training, which was the latest approach to skills training in the country.

The participants said the government should focus on the imparting of skills training to the people, especially women, to produce qualified workers so that they could support their families financially. They said participation of the women in every field of life was imperative and the provision of quality training to youths especially women was a must.

The participants said the industry should come forward to provide jobs to trained women. The women entrepreneurs and civil society activists said skills learning could bring self-reliance to women in the province besides helping them build careers and support families.

Published in Dawn, March 23rd, 2019