Centre of Excellence inaugurated in Islamabad

Islamabad March 25, 2022: National Vocational & Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) inaugurated the state-of-the-art Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Islamabad supported by the donor-funded TVET Sector Support Programme. The upgradation of NAVTTC Centre of Excellence in Modern Technologies is supported the TVET Sector Support Programme which is funded by the European Union, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in close collaboration with National Vocational &Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), Technical Education and Vocational Training Authorities (TEVTAs) and a number of public and private sector organizations at national and provincial levels. The TVET sector support programme is supporting the establishment of five Centres of Excellence.

The NAVTTC CoE in Modern Technologies seeks to foster excellence in training delivery for youth and TVET practitioners. The initiative will assist in the building up of a competent workforce with better job opportunities. In total, five CoEs are to be established through up-gradation from which one has been completed last year in Peshawar and others are in Lahore, Kotri and the Hub. These CoEs will provide a cascading model of teachers’ training, upscaling of skills for trainees, modern lab facilities, and career counselling and job placement services under one roof.
NAVTTC Centre of Excellence in Modern Technologies in Islamabad is the second Centre of Excellence to achieve accomplishment. The institute was established in 1976 with the aim to provide quality technical training to Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) teachers, including Mandatory Teachers Training. Upgraded to Centre of Excellence and supported by state-of-art facilities, the CoE faculty is now to drive forward continuous professional development of teachers while offering high quality courses for students. The CoE Islamabad was handed over to NAVTTC in the presence of the chief guest Federal Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Mr. Shafqat Mehmood and a number of worthy guests.

While addressing the ceremony, Chief Guest Federal Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training remarked that “Inauguration of this centre of excellence is a milestone achieved in the TVET sector of Pakistan. This CoE will facilitate in training of trainers and trainees for the modern technologies and skills to compete in the national and international labour markets”.
In the opening remarks, Chairman NAVTTC Syed Javed Hassan said, “We are overjoyed that the CoE in Islamabad is now complete and being turned over to the NAVTTC to set an example for all of Pakistan in providing outstanding training to instructors and trainees.”

Speaking at the ceremony, Cluster Head for Training and Sustainable Growth for Decent Jobs GIZ Pakistan Mr. Olaf Handloegten said, “We hope that the management of NAVTTC will take advantage of the upgraded training facilities for both TVET teachers and trainees and devise mechanisms to ensure that this CoE lives up to its full potential. Now it’s the time for NAVTTC and the private sector to ensure sustainability of these efforts and achievements.”The event was attended by the representative of EU Delegation in Pakistan, German Embassy in Islamabad, Additional Secretary of Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, private sector representatives, relevant TVET bodies, teachers and students.