Competency-based skills development to enhance youth employability

September 11, 2012 was one of the hysterical days in the history of Pakistan when a fire broke-down in a garments factory in SITE area of Karachi. The incident took lives of many workers, leaving behind their families in turmoil for long. The bedlam affected the family of Asmaa and Sadia; the two sisters who had been living happily in Karachi till they lost their father Khalil in this incident. Khalil was family’s sole bread-earner and among those 300 people who lost their lives in this fire incident of Baldia Town at Karachi.
The catastrophe affected many families; life for both Asmaa and Sadia went into strives following their father’s demise. Financial matters became complex for them. Both teen sisters had an average education from the general education system. Skills’ learning was the only quick remedy to their problems to get employment. Both girls took admission in Competency Based Training (CBT) courses offered at Vocational Training Institute for Women in Karachi’s Bufferzone area.
Competency Based Training and Assessment (CBT&A) programmes are designed and delivered by adopting a systematic approach, focusing on the better employability aspects of the trainees with strong market linkages. These courses are being offered all across Pakistan in almost 140 institutions with 60 trades which provide expert training to both male and female in fields like computer, dress designing and beautician.
Through competency based training and assessment, the trainees like Asmaa and Sadia are assessed after completing the program and awarded high quality national vocational certificates.
CBT&A system in Pakistan exists since 2015, launched by the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) to focus on skills, knowledge, understanding, attitudes and values of trainees. This intervention helps to uplift the socio-economic scenario of the country through skills development of human resource, especially youth.
Asmaa who has now completed her training in Basic Computer Literacy and is currently employed as Data Processing Assistant said that, CBT programs focus on the better employability of the trainees with market linkages. “The training provided me with an opportunity to think and do well for my family”, Asmaa told.
According to Nahid Nisar, Principal VTI, “The initiative is aimed to improve the observable, demonstrable and assessable performance of the students enabling them to acquire competencies, which are recognized by the industry”. She said that “through CBT&A system the students are getting employment opportunities here and abroad.”
Sadia who completed her training in Skin Care and Beauty Therapy trade and is currently working as the instructor said that “the change in vocational training model based on competency standards is empirical and need of the time.”
TVET Sector Support Programme (SSP), funded by the European Union, the Federal Republic of Germany and Government of Norway is supporting NAVTTC, TEVTAs and other partners in the country to implement this latest system of training and assessment. The TVET SSP is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in close collaboration with the NAVTTC as well as provincial Technical Education and Vocational Training Authorities (TEVTAs) and private sector organizations. The program anticipates training to 3,550 teachers, 1,500 assessors, 500 principals from public and 48,500 workforce, of which 30% are inspired to be women.
Published in Daily Times at
http://dailytimes.com.pk/sindh/29-Aug-17/skill-development-lightens-the-future-of-youths