In the persuasion of supporting TVET sector in Pakistan, TUSDEC (Technology Upgradation& Skill Development Company) has recently organized a one day Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop on Entrepreneurship Development at Peshawar. A pool of 26 instructors has been trained as master trainers, selected from the TVET institutes operating in the impoverished areas of KP.The training session was headed by Mr. Faisal Mehmood, TVET Advisor at TUSEC. Mr. Faisal apprised the session about Entrepreneurship while accentuating the socio-economic benefits that can be extracted from its maturation. The session was followed by the development of business plans to pragmatically impart the intricacies for a successful business venture. According to the company source, TUSDEC will extend full support through encouraging and facilitating the students in the start-up of their entrepreneurial ventures. Mr. Nayyer Rehman, Programme Manager, Programme Facilitation Unit, Peshawar edified the importance of entrepreneurship development and emphasized that it is one of the most sapient enactment to fuel up the economic development in the country.

Under this EU sponsored programme of supporting TVET sector involving private employers, TUSDEC has created affiances with 30 TVET institutes to conduct demand driven courses in the pilot phase. These training courses have been initiated in 20 districts of KP & FATA region. The programme aims to train 12000 men and women from rural, impoverished areas of KP &FATA and improve their livelihood chancels through better employment opportunities. The source shared that the programme methodology will positively yield towards the downright achievement of its objectives within the stipulated timeframe of four years.

Participants asserted that the training was experiential and insightful and delivered through contemporary yet utterly comprehensive content and methodology. The participants hailing from the TVET institutes of Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Swabi, Kohat, Karak, Bannu, LakkiMarwat and DI Khan will be stationed back at their respective institutes to further build the capacity of students in the field of Entrepreneurship. The next workshop of the stream is planned for the trainers from Malakand, Hazara and FATA agencies. Towards the end of the workshop, the participants were awarded certificates by Muhammad Shafiq, Senior Vice President of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce & Industries (KPCCI). The event was solicitously organized hence acknowledged by the professional crest present there. TUSDEC through EU funded project strives to equip the local human capital with advanced contemporary skills rallying on participatory approach involving all stakeholders to trigger socio-economic development of the region and national progress. The dissemination of advanced technical and soft skills among the available manpower of the country and involving private sector would not only help in paving livelihood opportunities but will induce the cognizance of work-orientation and national deference discouraging the prevalent discordant and malefic social behaviors.