Pakistan TVET Reform Support Programme

🎓 Skills, Opportunities, and a Brighter Future for Pakistan’s Youth

At the heart of the TVET Sector Support Programme are the learners who are building their futures through skills development. Whether they are completing school, returning from abroad, or looking to upgrade their skills, TVET pathways help connect young people with quality training and meaningful employment opportunities.

Through Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBT&A), Centres of Excellence, and advanced technical programmes, students gain practical, industry-relevant skills that prepare them for the evolving world of work. 💼⚙️

Beyond technical training, learners also benefit from:

🤝 Career counselling and guidance services
📈 Access to job fairs, mentorships, and apprenticeships
🏭 Strong links with employers and industry partners
💡 Training aligned with national and international standards

A key principle of the programme is ensuring equal opportunities for all. Special efforts help increase access for women, persons with disabilities, refugees, and returnees, enabling more people to participate in Pakistan’s economic growth and development.

By investing in skills today, we are helping build a more inclusive, resilient, and prosperous future for Pakistan. ✨

GIZ,German International Cooperation
European Union in Pakistan
German Embassy Islamabad

📈✨ From Learning to Confidence: The Impact of the Digital Fluency Workshops

Building digital skills is about more than learning new tools, it’s about gaining the confidence to use them effectively.

🎥 Before the Digital Fluency Workshops, only 30% of participants described themselves as extremely confident in creating digital content.

🚀 After the workshops, that number increased to 80%.
Through practical exercises in digital storytelling, short-form video creation, social media content development, and online visibility, participants strengthened their ability to create engaging content and promote their institutions more effectively.

💡 The results demonstrate the value of hands-on learning and highlight the growing importance of digital communication skills across Pakistan’s TVET sector.

🤝 By empowering TVET professionals with practical digital skills, the programme is helping institutions become more visible, connected, and responsive to their audiences.

GIZ,German International Cooperation
European Union in Pakistan
German Embassy Islamabad

🌍 Partner Spotlight: Punjab Vocational Training Council (PVTC)

Since its establishment in 1998, the Punjab Vocational Training Council (PVTC) has been working to expand access to quality skills development opportunities for underprivileged youth across Punjab. Through a unique public-private partnership model, PVTC delivers demand-driven vocational training that helps learners build pathways to employment and entrepreneurship.

Operating 184 vocational training centres across the province, PVTC offers market-oriented training in 38 different trades, complemented by life skills and entrepreneurship education to better prepare trainees for the world of work.

Here’s how PVTC contributes to skills development in Pakistan:

🎓 Expanding access to vocational training
PVTC provides skills training opportunities to thousands of young people, particularly those from underserved communities across Punjab.

💼 Promoting employability and entrepreneurship
Around 60,000–68,000 trainees participate in PVTC programmes annually, with many securing employment or starting their own businesses after graduation.

⚙️ Strengthening competency-based training
PVTC continues to enhance training quality through the implementation of competency-based approaches across its institutes, helping learners develop practical, industry-relevant skills.

🌏 Creating pathways to international opportunities
Through collaborations with national and international partners, PVTC is supporting youth in preparing for overseas employment opportunities through language and cultural training programmes.

With its strong focus on inclusion, employability, and skills excellence, PVTC continues to play an important role in empowering youth and strengthening Pakistan’s TVET sector. ✨

GIZ,German International Cooperation
European Union in Pakistan
German Embassy Islamabad

🌟 From Skills Training to Entrepreneurship: Meet Nisar Usteen

In 2021, Nisar Usteen completed a three-month Graphic Designing course at GVTTC Skardu. What started as a training opportunity soon became the foundation for a successful entrepreneurial journey 🚀

After completing the course, Nisar established his own software house and training institute, where he now provides graphic designing and IT-related training to others. Through his work, he is not only creating opportunities for himself but also helping young people develop valuable digital skills for the future 💻✨

His journey demonstrates how technical and vocational training can empower individuals to transform skills into sustainable livelihoods and contribute to their communities.

💡 Nisar shares an inspiring message for young people:

"If you are sitting idle at home, you should also take advantage of free training programs from institutes like NAVTTC or GVTTC. By learning these skills, you can build your own career and also contribute to the growth of others."

Stories like Nisar's highlight the important role of TVET in fostering entrepreneurship, digital skills, and economic opportunities for youth across Pakistan.

GIZ,German International Cooperation
European Union in Pakistan
German Embassy Islamabad

📱✨ Strengthening Digital Fluency Across Pakistan’s TVET Sector

🚀 The TVET Sector Support Programme successfully conducted a series of Digital Fluency Workshops across Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, and Gilgit, bringing together representatives from TVET institutions to strengthen their digital communication skills and online visibility.

🎥📸 Through hands-on sessions, participants explored:

✅ Digital storytelling
✅ Short-form video creation
✅ Social media content development
✅ Strategies to enhance institutional visibility

💡 Participants gained practical tools and approaches that can be immediately applied to engage learners, showcase success stories, and strengthen institutional outreach.

🤝 The workshops received an overwhelmingly positive response, with participants expressing strong confidence in applying their new skills and a shared commitment to advancing digital communication practices across the TVET sector.

🌐 By investing in digital fluency, the programme continues to support TVET institutions in becoming more visible, connected, and responsive in an increasingly digital world.

GIZ,German International Cooperation
European Union in Pakistan
German Embassy Islamabad

📍 Across Pakistan, a nationwide series of Digital Fluency

Workshops has officially concluded, bringing together TVET professionals from Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan to explore how institutions communicate, connect, and build trust in the digital space.

Throughout the workshops, participants engaged in hands-on discussions around storytelling, communication strategies, and digital engagement for the TVET sector. The sessions encouraged institutions to reflect not only on what they communicate, but also how they communicate it to better serve their communities.

From Lahore to Gilgit, Peshawar, and Quetta, the workshops created space for dialogue, collaboration, and new ideas across provinces and institutions.

The workshops were implemented in collaboration with partners including Kp-Tevta Works Directorate of Technical Education, TEVTA Punjab, Directorate Of Tech. Edu.& Skill Development G-B, Balochistan Technical Education & Vocational Training Authority, PVTC - Punjab Vocational Training Council and other relevant organizations in the region under the Team Europe's TVET Sector Support Programme. AKYRL group facilitated the workshops together with project team.

GIZ,German International Cooperation
European Union in Pakistan
German Embassy Islamabad

🌟 Strengthening Skills Development in Balochistan: Meet Shoaib Shirazi

For the past five years, Shoaib Shirazi has been serving as the Principal of the Technical Training Center, helping expand access to technical and vocational education and strengthen skills development opportunities for youth in Balochistan 🎓

Established in 1978 under the Ministry of Labor & Manpower, the center has been actively collaborating with the European Union and GIZ to implement Competency-Based Training (CBT) programmes and modernise training approaches. The institute has also been selected as a Model Center under GIZ, supporting efforts to further improve the quality and relevance of TVET.

Here’s a glimpse into the center’s impact:

⚙️ 22 different trades currently offered through double-shift training
👨‍🎓 Around 450 students enrolled in one-year regular programmes
🛠️ Training opportunities for both students and school dropouts in trades such as welding, plumbing, carpentry, auto mechanics, machining, and electrical work
💻 IT and digital skills programmes including Amazon training, AutoCAD, office management, computer graphics, and diploma courses
🌍 The only NAVTTC Category-A accredited center in Balochistan
The center also serves as a Takamul Assessment Center, conducting skill verification and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) assessments for Saudi Arabia-bound workers.

A recent tracer study showed that around 65% of graduates are now employed in the market, highlighting the important role of TVET in supporting employability and creating pathways to sustainable livelihoods 🚀

Shoaib Shirazi also emphasises the importance of continuing to strengthen CBT implementation across all trades by investing in trained faculty and upgraded workshops to further enhance training quality and industry relevance.

GIZ,German International Cooperation
European Union in Pakistan
German Embassy Islamabad

📊 Turning data into better jobs

A strong skills system doesn’t happen by chance, it’s built on data, coordination, and smart decision-making. Through the TVET Sector Support Programme, Pakistan is strengthening how skills are planned, delivered, and aligned with real labour market needs.

💡 By upgrading the National Skills Information System (NSIS), the programme helps ensure that training is guided by real-time data on employment trends, so the right skills are developed at the right time.

⚙️ At the same time, improved monitoring and evaluation systems allow institutions to track performance, measure results, and continuously improve training quality.

🌐 From digitising governance processes to supporting international accreditation, these efforts are building a TVET system that is more transparent, efficient, and globally competitive.

What this will look like in practice:
📌 4 national and provincial TVET plans developed
📌 40 data-driven recommendations for better skills management
📌 300 TVET leaders trained
📌 10 institutes aligned with international accreditation standards

Because when systems work better, skills lead to real opportunities, and stronger economies ✨

GIZ,German International Cooperation
European Union in Pakistan
German Embassy Islamabad