QUETTA: A state-of-the-art Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Modern Technologies was inaugurated in the industrial town of Hub on Wednesday to strengthen skills development of the youth and teachers of Balochistan.

The centre aims to foster excellence in developing training programmes for the youth and trained practitioners in the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector with an ultimate goal of building a competent workforce with better job opportunities.

The CoE will be pivotal in implementing a cascading model of teachers’ training and imparting skills training for trainees through modern lab facilities, career counselling and job placement services — all under one roof.

Facility to harness skills of youth in Balochistan

Adviser to the Chief Minister on Labour and Manpower Gohram Khan Bugti inaugurated the centre at a function, which was also attended by Dr Rüdiger Lutz, Consul General of Germany; Mr Ovidiu Mic, Head of Cooperation of the European Union delegation to Pakistan; Olaf Handloegten, Coordinator and Head of TVET Sector Support Programme; Tariq Qamar, Secretary of Labour; and other officials concerned.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Mr Bugti said the centre of excellence would support training of trainers and trainees in modern technologies which would ultimately equip the trainees to compete in the national and international labour markets.

Mr Ovidiu Mic, Head of Cooperation of the EU delegation to Pakistan, said the EU considered TVET as a priority sector for the socio-economic development of Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2022