Strong Industry-Academia Linkages Vital for Skills Development: TEVTA Chairman

Collaboration with private sector key to enhancing employability of Pakistani youth, says Brig. (R) Sajid Khokhar

Lahore, May 9, 2025 — Chairman Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA), Brigadier (R) Muhammad Sajid Khokhar, has emphasized the critical need for robust industry-academia partnerships to ensure a workforce that meets both national and international employment standards.

Speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), the Chairman highlighted TEVTA’s ongoing initiatives to align vocational training with industry demands and global opportunities. LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad, Senior Vice President Engineer Khalid Usman, and Vice President Shahid Nazir Chaudhry also addressed the session, along with Executive Committee Members Engineer Iftikhar Ahmad, Syed Hassan Raza, and Abdul Majeed.

Brig. (R) Sajid Khokhar shared that TEVTA is currently operating 388 institutions, offering over 160 technical and vocational courses, ranging from three months to four years in duration. He assured the business community that their valuable input would be considered as TEVTA continues to modernize curriculum, upgrade faculty, and improve training equipment.

“We are updating our courses in close consultation with industry stakeholders,” he stated. “Special focus is being placed on information technology, construction, and hospitality sectors, with training aligned to overseas employment prospects.”

To strengthen students’ international readiness, five language courses have also been introduced to enhance communication skills abroad.

LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad praised TEVTA’s reform agenda and called for the formation of Industry Skills Councils at the district level, allowing private sector participation in designing and reviewing training programs. He also proposed that all skill development institutions in Punjab be brought under one regulatory framework to ensure consistency and quality.

“This is the ideal time to revamp our national training system,” said Shad. “Every TEVTA graduate should possess globally competitive skills that lead to secure employment both locally and internationally.”

Senior Vice President Engineer Khalid Usman and Vice President Shahid Nazir Chaudhry reiterated LCCI’s support in fostering stronger linkages between technical institutions and the business sector. They emphasized the Chamber’s commitment to collaborative efforts with TEVTA.

The LCCI leadership jointly underscored the importance of equipping Pakistan’s youth — which comprises 60% of the population — with in-demand skills, especially those sought after in the global market. Strengthening vocational education, they noted, is critical to economic development and youth empowerment.