LAHORE: Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is collaborating with TEVTA to promote technical education and vocational training (TVET) system across Punjab. JICA has already provided 860 million yen for machinery and equipment for the centres of excellence of Mechanical and Architecture Departments at Government College of Technology, Railway Road, Lahore. JICA would also provide 614 million yen to TEVTA during 2016-2019 for development of Government College of Technology in Faisalabad as centre of excellence, besides upgradation of 13 other government colleges of technologies across Punjab. TEVTA Chairman Irfan Qaiser, while addressing a seminar ‘JICA support to promote TVET system in Punjab’ in local hotel, said that 46 master trainers have already been given training in different sectors of mechanical technology, including CNC machine, Tig Mig welding, Cad Kam designing and industrial planning and products. He said cooperation of JICA would be helpful to export trained manpower in the field of mechanical technology, so that our skilled manpower get better job opportunities. The TEVTA chairman said that the basic purpose for establishing the centre of excellence at GCT Faisalabad and upgradation of 13 colleges was to provide trained manpower according to the needs of the industry at national and international level. “The main feature of this new project is to revise the curriculum for mechanical technology, provision of equipment and training of trainers. Establishment of job placement cell at district and institutes would also be a part of this project,” he mentioned. TEVTA Chief Operating Officer Jawad Ahmed Qureshi and JICA Chief Tojo Yasuhiro also addressed the seminar. JICA Project Chief Noboru Kabisu, JICA experts Masami Tsuyuki, Yoichi Tsuchiya and Kuniaki Kowatari, TEVTA District Board of Management Lahore President Syed Mehmood Ghazanvi, Renowned Industrialists Amjad Ali Jawa, Rizwan Shamsi, Nasira Tahseen, Salman Basit, Hasnain Mirza, Masood Nizami, Arshd Basit, Arshad Baig, Kh Muhammad Usman and TEVTA Officers were also present at this occasion.