A ceremony marking a collaborative initiative between Muslim Hands, the Sindh Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (STEVTA), and Schneider Electric was held at a local hotel in Karachi on Thursday.
The event was attended by Special Assistant to the Chief Minister Sindh and Chairman STEVTA, Junaid Buland, who served as the chief guest. Also in attendance was STEVTA Managing Director Tariq Manzoor Chandio, alongside senior representatives of the partnering organizations, educators, trainers, and trainees. In his address, Mr. Buland congratulated the teams at Schneider Electric and Muslim Hands for their collaborative spirit and commitment to skill development in the province. He revealed that over 4,700 youth have directly benefited from the initiative, having completed certified technical training through the upgraded facilities. “The success of this partnership demonstrates what can be achieved when government and industry come together with a shared vision,” Mr. Buland said. “We are not only upgrading infrastructure, but also investing in the future of Sindh’s youth.”
He emphasized that Chairman Pakistan People’s Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari places top priority on youth education and vocational skill-building, and under his direction, the provincial government is in the process of establishing 50 model vocational institutes across Sindh. “This will significantly improve access to quality training and enable thousands more to become part of the skilled workforce,” he added. To expand the reach of technical education, STEVTA aims to increase its annual intake from the current 30,000 to 50,000 students, Mr. Buland announced. This includes launching outreach programs and partnerships with local communities and industry players.
He also stressed the importance of regulatory oversight, stating that non-functional private institutions affiliated with STEVTA will be disaffiliated, and necessary action will be taken against those not meeting standards. “A new affiliation policy is being introduced to ensure quality control and to strengthen the monitoring system of private training institutes,” he said. Efforts are also underway for STEVTA to obtain ISO (International Organization for Standardization) certification, as part of a broader institutional reform agenda aimed at improving quality assurance and transparency.
In his remarks, MD STEVTA Tariq Manzoor Chandio underscored the need for demand-driven training models. He stated that 200 new courses are being introduced across the province, designed in close consultation with industry stakeholders. These will replace outdated and irrelevant trades that no longer serve today’s job market. “Our focus is now on future skills – digital literacy, green technologies, automation, and other areas where demand is rapidly growing,” Mr. Chandio said. “We are working to modernize the curriculum to ensure our graduates are job-ready and equipped to compete not only locally, but globally.”