PR-Lahore- 21 November 2014 – TUSDEC (Technology Upgradation and Skill Development Company) has successfully concluded the Training of Trainers (TOT) programme in eight trades with trainers from the district of Swat, Lower Dir, Upper Dir, Jacobabad, Kashmore, Shikarpur and Muzaffarabad. The ToT sessions were executed under a three year project financed by the Delegation of European Union to Pakistan for Supporting TVET sector in Pakistan. TUSDEC in affiance with ACTED (Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development) and PMN (Pakistan Microfinance Network) initiated the implementation of project aimed at improving the access, quality and service delivery of the TVET sector for rural, marginalized communities through innovative approaches. Under the project, TUSDEC extended the services of curricula & manual development, supply of tools and equipment and training of the trainers (ToT) in the first phase and will be carrying out technical monitoring and evaluation in the later phase of project implementation.

Consummating the project objectives, TUSDEC has organized TOT sessions for the trades of Building Electrician, Refrigerating & Air Conditioning, Motorcycle Mechanic, Industrial Electrician, Solar Technician, Generator Mechanic, Dress Making and Hand/Machine Embroidery and equipped 72 trainers, from the impoverished districts of Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu & Kashmir, with contemporary training modes. After the ToT, the trained instructors are now stationed in their respective districts to capacitate 8000 men and women from rural backdrops and internally displaced communities so that they would be able to sustain a better living standards through improved employment prospects.

According to a company source, TUSDEC engaged the most proficient curricula development experts to formulate innovative, progressive yet immensely adaptive course of study. The source further shared that TUSDEC has not only upgraded the curricula and instruction methodologies but also refurbished the TVET institutes with state-of-the-art machines and equipment. The approaches deployed by TUSDEC for the realization of the project objectives are inclusive; enhancing the access of the area inhabitants to qualitative technical and vocational education. Adding further, the source explicated that the number of partners from the targeted districts are augmenting to furnish qualitative services which will contribute to encourage participatory rural and community development aimed at improving the socio-economic situation in the target districts.

On successful completion of the ToT sessions of eight trades for the instructors of Low Dir, Upper Dir, Swat, Kashmore, Jacababad, Shikarpur and Muzaffarabad, TUSDEC will now be monitoring and evaluating the project including the trainings and the impact on the livelihood chancels of the local community. TUSDEC is also contemplating to launch ToTs in KAB & Computer Applications and Office Professional. Technical & vocational education have a retrograde connection with economic progression and the rewards can be capitalized if the potential workforce is transformed into an adept and productive human resource for the country. TUSDEC is working on various skill development initiatives with national and international funding agencies, disseminating advanced skills among the local workforce for better livelihood opportunities as well as national progression.