In order to consolidate the Punjab government’s endeavours to ensure sustainable economic development, the TVET Sector Support Programme (SSP) has launched a special initiative to assist 15,000 local individuals including the Pakistanis returning from foreign countries to gain socio-economic settling.
Under this formally launched initiative ‘Reintegration of Returnees in Pakistan’ these 15,000 individuals will include 6,500 returnees from Germany, Europe and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries through various support measures including career and entrepreneurship advisory services, Competency-based Training & Assessments (CBT&A), recognition of prior learning, and employment promotion.
The TVET SSP is funded by the European Union, Germany and the Norwegian Embassy. The reintegration measures for resettlement of Pakistanis returning voluntarily from GCC countries, Europe and Germany are supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
The programme is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in partnership with the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC)in close collaboration with the provincial Technical Education and Vocational Training Authorities (TEVTAs) and several not-for-profit, public and private sector organizations.
The ceremony also saw the participation from representatives of various stakeholders of the TVET sector including the Punjab Vocational Training Council (PVTC), the Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Lahore Division), the Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF), and World Wide Fund Pakistan (WWF).
The ‘Reintegration of Returnees’ initiative will support Pakistani returnees and the local communities (non-returnees) by offering them quick and effective start-up opportunities, especially in Punjab, as this region is most affected by return migration.
At the occasion, the TVET SSP and the Punjab Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA) signed a partnership agreement.
Chairperson Punjab TEVTA Ali Salman Siddique, Director General Punjab National Vocational and Technical Testing Commission (NAVTTC) Mujeeb Ur Rehman, and Head of TVET SSP, GIZ Pakistan, Ms. Iris Cordelia Rotzoll were present at the signing ceremony. Ali Salman Siddique and Iris Cordelia Rotzoll signed the agreement.