ISLAMABAD: As many as 20 leading Chinese companies operating in Pakistan have offered over 500 employment opportunities to talented Pakistani technical and vocational graduates.

The offer was extended at a job fair that opened at the Pak-China Friendship Centre on Tuesday. The China Chamber of Commerce in Pakistan (CCCPK) and the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) under the guidance of the Chinese embassy organised the event. The event is being held under the theme of “Bridging skills: building futures.”

Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong and Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui opened the event.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister of State for Education Wajiha Qamar said the event is more than a job fair; it is a declaration that Pakistan is unleashing its potential and its youth are on the way to make the future of the country.

Job fair by China Chamber of Commerce in Pakistan and NAVTTC opens at Pak-China Friendship Centre

She said boys, girls, madressah students and differently-abled children were being given the skills that were relevant to the future — IT, e-learning platforms, game development, AI, hi-tech skills etc.

She said, “Pakistan doesn’t walk alone; China has been walking with us, like a family. We don’t just build roads, we build futures.”

Minister Counselor at the Chinese embassy Yang Guangyuan said China and Pakistan were working together for a new phase of CPEC. He expressed confidence in the leadership of both countries and said in the first quarter of this year, majority of Chinese companies had planned to expand their businesses in Pakistan. “Youth is the greatest asset of Pakistan,” he said.

He said the second phase of CPEC was to focus on manufacturing which would lead to significant job creation in Pakistan.

He highlighted the contributions of CPEC which were not only limited to the addition of energy megawatts in the national grid or the addition of kilometres to highways but also towards massive job creation. He said currently more than 30,000 Pakistani nationals are employed at the member Chinese companies of CCCPK.

NAVTTC Chairperson Gulmina Bilal appreciated CCCPK for their relentless efforts in coordination with NAVTTC to make this event happen. She said NAVTTC had produced a work-ready workforce of men, women, differently-abled people and religious students.

She added that skill training is the master key to progress and this is something that we have learned from China.

The Chinese speed and quality is due to its people. She also expressed the hope to commence a series of job fairs from Islamabad to different parts of Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, May 28th, 2025