It’s an old story from seven or eight years ago when my family had shifted to Canada, and my younger daughter was in the eighth grade in the city of Whitby, Greater Toronto Area. One day, when she returned from school, she said, “Dad, now I can also change a car tire.” Surprised, I asked her, “When did you learn that?” With enthusiasm, she replied, “Today we had our technical vocational class in school, and they taught us how to change a car tire.” A few days later, she excitedly told me that now she can also do small woodwork and wiring tasks inside the house. She said, “We were taught these skills in school.
” It is a welcome development that the Punjab government has now recognized the importance of such initiatives. Ehsan Bhatta is a secretary in the Punjab government who knows nothing else other than working and how to work efficiently at that. So much so that he is transferred to different departments very swiftly to maximize his effectiveness and utilize his skills to benefit the most number of departments. Wherever he is appointed, he works as hard as a labourer more so than as an officer which increases productivity for which it seems like the government might appoint him as the next Secretary of Labour. However, there is already a hardworking Secretary of Labour, Asadullah Faiz, appointed there. Ehsan Bhatta, the Secretary of Industries, has reportedly planned to disrupt the vacations of students in government schools and colleges and has decided to use those holidays to enhance their skills and capabilities.
The truth is as evident as daylight that the world is rapidly changing, and so are the demands of this ever-evolving world. You must have also observed that the methods prevalent in various fields a few years or decades ago have become obsolete, making way for new approaches and modern procedures. The pace at which these changes are occurring can be estimated from the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2023, which predicts that by 2027, a 23% transformation in employment will be expected in Pakistan. During this period, 69 million new jobs will be created, while 83 million jobs will be displaced. The report suggests that Pakistan needs to embrace emerging opportunities, invest in essential skills, and stay prepared to align itself with these changes by seizing the growing prospects. The question at hand is whether or not Pakistan is ready to accept this challenge. What does Pakistan have, to be in sync with the ongoing changes? It is an undeniable fact that a trained individual has more job opportunities compared to an untrained individual, and a skilled professional can earn more money than an unskilled person.
It is also important to ask whether we are producing enough skilled workers and professionals in various fields to meet the needs of our trained individuals. Pakistan is considered the fifth-largest country in the world in terms of its youth population. Sixty-four percent of Pakistan’s population is composed of individuals under the age of thirty, while twenty-nine percent are youth between the ages of fifteen and twenty-nine. By providing these young individuals with education aligned with changing circumstances and evolving technologies, Pakistan has the potential to bring about an economic revolution. The changing landscape of emerging technologies has its unique demands. Harnessing new technology requires acquiring new skills, and these skills can only be acquired through technical education. It is a regrettable reality that in Pakistan, 70 to 80 percent of students declare the end of their education after completing matriculation, and only 20 percent are able to pursue higher education. Firstly, the federal and provincial governments must make every effort to reduce the dropout rate after matriculation. Secondly, instead of abandoning education after matriculation, the youth population should be encouraged towards technical and vocational education and training. This can transform them from being unemployed individuals to productive members of society, benefiting both the country and society as a whole. According to a report, the number of unemployed individuals during the fiscal year 2019-20 was 5.8 million, which increased to 6.65 million in the fiscal year 2020-21. This indicates that the unemployment rate in the country is increasing every year. Instead of relying on traditional education and waiting for job opportunities, if attention is given to technical education, this rate can not only be halted but also reduced. Technical Educational and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA) in Punjab is an institution that has been actively involved in technical and vocational education for the past twenty to thirty years. It is a subsidiary organization of the Industries Department, and now it has come under the leadership of Ehsan Bhatta. They have collaborated with Secretary of Higher Education Javed Akhtar Mahmood, Secretary of Schools Education Makhdoom Ahmed Dhawla, and Senior Director-General of TEVTA Akhtar Abbas Bharwana to initiate a revolutionary program. The praise for this program falls short of its true value. Through this institution, they have recently expressed their determination to introduce short courses in specific fields during the upcoming summer vacations, which are traditionally dedicated to obtaining conventional education.
These short courses are aimed at redirecting the younger generation, who pursue traditional education during their summer breaks, towards technical education. For boys, courses such as electrical work, plumbing, HVACR (heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration), tailoring, and computer courses will be offered, while for girls, there will be courses in beautician skills, cooking, and computer skills. It cannot be argued that these courses will be beneficial unless there is consistent communication between TEVTA and the industrial sector. The benefit of this communication will be that TEVTA remains aware of the technical requirements of the industry and can train a workforce accordingly. This will not only benefit the industrial sector by providing it with a skilled workforce but also contribute to reducing unemployment. Many young individuals in our society often complain that despite obtaining an MA or BA degree, they are unable to find suitable employment opportunities. The solution to this issue is for individuals to benefit from the technical courses offered by TEVTA alongside their traditional education. After completing these courses, not only will job opportunities open up within the country, but possibilities for working abroad will also become brighter. If one possesses skills, they have the potential to secure good employment. Otherwise, they can even start their own business based on the technical skills they have acquired.
