PESHAWAR: The European Union on Tuesday launched a programme to empower the youth of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with essential skills demanded by the job market.

The launch was held at the Vocational Training Centre of Excellence established in the Hayatabad area here with European Union support.

It marked a significant milestone of the “Team Europe Initiative on Building Back Better through Green Jobs Creation” in KP province, according to a statement.

It added that through the programme, the EU and the German government aim to transform the vocational training landscape in KP by providing dedicated support to the selected VET schools across the province that will be better equipped, have better trained staff, and have curricula better catered to the demands of the labour market, thus paving the way for economic prosperity and sustainable development.

Says skilled youth to contribute to socioeconomic uplift of KP

“The EU’s support will particularly focus on improving skills in key sectors such as agribusiness, water, and energy.

“The new support programme is not just part of the broader Team Europe Initiative involving the EU, France, Germany, and Italy to build back better through green job creation but also contributes to the EU’s Global Gateway Initiative, in which the EU is trying to leverage public and private sector investments by investing in the skills of young people in Pakistan.”

Addressing the gathering, special assistant to the chief minister Abdul Karim Thorder highlighted the government’s vigorous efforts to re-launch KP’s economy, underscoring the pivotal role of the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programme for the purpose.

EU ambassador to Pakistan Dr Riina Kiionka discussed the importance of reforming the TVET sector in KP and noted its impact on empowering youth.

“With youth constituting about 35 per cent of KP’s population, the importance of skill development cannot be overstated,” she said.

She said that youth equipped with employable skills had the potential to contribute to the socio-economic future of this province.

“This new programme places special emphasis on empowering youth, particularly women, in high-technology trades, opening new avenues for economic prosperity—an initiative much needed for optimal utilisation of this youth bulge,” she said.

Dr Sebastian Paust, Head of Cooperation at the German Embassy, highlighted the enhanced impact of Team Europe partners Germany and the European Union working together with the KP authorities to improve the TVET sector, enhancing employment prospects for its youth.

“The TVET Sector Support Programme is a five-year programme designed to strengthen Pakistan’s TVET sector, by providing training opportunities to men and women in high-demand professions. The action aims to advance Pakistan’s human capital development through the creation of decent jobs in green and digital areas,” he said.

He said building upon the successes and lessons learned from the previous three phases of Team Europe’s support for Pakistan’s TVET sector, the programme was meant to enhance skills’ development in environmentally-friendly sectors such as agribusiness, water, and energy.

“The programme places a special emphasis on empowering skilled female workers in digital and high-tech sectors. It will be jointly implemented by GIZ and the British Council,” he said.

Published in Dawn, May 8th, 2024