ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Education & Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood on Friday, stated that the governance, standards and quality assurance of the Technical Education & Vocational Training (TEVT) across Pakistan needs to be upgraded and a task force has been constituted to make concrete recommendations in this regard. Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF) organised an international conference on Employment Opportunities for Skilled Pakistanis in the Gulf at a local hotel. Shafqat Mahmood delivered the keynote address via audio link. Punjab Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht was the chief guest at the event and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Finance Minister Taimur Salim Khan Jhagra also participated in the conference via video link. In 2017, the foreign remittances received in Pakistan accounted for $20 billion and 60 percent of this came from Gulf countries. However, given the shift in employer demands, labour indigenisation efforts and increased competition from countries like the Philippines, Sri Lanka and India, the employment landscape in Gulf countries is already undergoing a significant shift. The PSDF conference was based on a detailed study that was commissioned by the organisation to understand the changing employment landscape in Gulf countries by identifying the skill gaps and skill readjustments required by Pakistani talent to retain and capture a larger share of the job market in the Gulf. The conference included panel discussions which were attended by leaders of the local business industry, government officials, academia and international speakers from the United States and the United Kingdom. The power-packed panels discussed and debated the future of skills in the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution, the high potential industries and sectors in Gulf countries and the importance of soft skills training in addition to technical training in capturing higher paid jobs. The conference also touched upon the role of overseas employment operators and the government agencies in bridging the gap between employer needs and employee training programs. The detailed report published by PSDF is made available on its official website in downloadable format for the general public. In his address to the conference participants, Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht appreciated the efforts of PSDF saying, “The conference has touched upon a very important issue that requires immediate attention and the government looks forward to working on the recommendations derived from the conference.” He also added that this initiative is in line with the government’s focus on ensuring overseas Pakistani workers’ welfare. PSDF Chief Executive Officer Jawad Khan highlighted, “PSDF has adopted a result-based funding mechanism and is actively managing the entire skills value chain to train and employ skilled Pakistani youth in the Gulf.” With its aim to provide quality skills and vocational training opportunities to the poor and vulnerable people of Punjab, PSDF is geared up to work with all relevant stakeholders in the public and private sector to help Pakistanis capitalise on the vast ocean of opportunities available to our workers in the Gulf. Published in Daily Times, October 20th 2018.