KARACHI, Aug 27: Speakers at a seminar deplored that training of officials and employees at both government-run and private organizations in Pakistan was perceived as “sheer waste of both time and resources”.
The seminar on “Training for trainers” was organized by public administration department of Karachi University at the arts auditorium to commemorate the year of Madar-i-Millat Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah.
The speakers said that employers should hold regular training courses and sessions for their employees to enhance productivity of their respective organizations. “Training should be considered as major investment in the Human Resources Development (HRD), following the precedence set by some developed nations, who touched the height of industrialization by improving skills of their manpower,” they added.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Abrar Beg, head of the human resource department of National Bank of Pakistan, said that holding of regular training courses and sessions for the employees and officials had become “an extreme necessity” in the corporate sector, as it was the only way to meet market demands and emerging challenges.
“Now, only those companies and organizations can survive and grow, which pay attention towards continuous training and monitoring of their employees to meet market requirements,” he observed. He stressed on training of those, who can later impart training to others.
He was of the view that corporations, banks, and industrial concerns should recruit fresh graduates of local educational institutes and arrange training for them at their time of employment.
He said that the National Bank of Pakistan considered fresh graduates of local business schools and universities for recruitment and internships, provided they meet the required criteria.
Mr. Arshad Karim, a visiting faculty member from the University of Phoenix, USA, said that parents were the first pair of trainers, who spend most of their time and resources to enable their sons and daughters to become effective and successful member of society.
“This natural phenomenon, which every person experience in his life, tells us how much training is important for everybody and what happens when trainers (parents) themselves are not trained enough and pay less attention towards training of their children,” he added.
Mr Fasihul Karim Siddiqui, General Manager at Hinopak (Pvt) Limited, stressed the need for creating awareness among employers regarding significance of time, as if time was properly utilized, it would be beneficial for the organization.
“Employers should set examples for their workforce and arrive at their organizations, prior to report time to greet and receive their employees,” he suggested.
Earlier, the vice-chancellor of Karachi University, Dr Zafar Saeed Saify, said that training and refresher courses in innumerable subjects and professions had become of vital importance to keep the knowledge refined and up to date.
He informed that in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission (HEC), the university has formed a committee of scientists and experts to monitor and conduct research on all aspects of oil spill from the Tasman Spirit. Students were also being engaged in this activity, he added.—PPI