RAWALPINDI, Jan 1: The Skill Development Council has improved competitiveness of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through a series of training workshops. Chief executive officer of SDC Saquib Mohyddin told newsmen in Islamabad on Thursday that the SMEs were facing a difficult situation due to the current global economic crises and the application of cost reduction techniques were the best solution in the prevailing circumstances.

Referring to the training workshops being conducted by SDC, he said that these workshops will assist SMEs to cut cost of production and at the same time will improve their competency in the global market.

Mr Mohyuddin further said that the roadmap for improving competitiveness of SMEs was finalised after extensive consultation with all stakeholders and it is based on the concept of providing services at the doorsteps of the industry so that the maximum number of floor staff could be benefited.

He assured that the council will arrange similar training workshops in other cities such as Wazirabad, Sialkot and Gujrat.

The last workshop was held in Gujranwala – the hub of small and medium industry, on cost reduction techniques and was attended by over 30 participants from the industrial units of the area. He described the workshop, which was co-sponsored by the Gujranwala Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as successful.

He said that in addition to theoretical subjects local cases were studied during the workshop instead of foreign business models, which have no relevance to local conditions.