LAHORE: The Technical & Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA) and the UK’s City & Guilds have signed an agreement to introduce International Vocational Qualifications (IVQs) in TEVTA’s constituent polytechnics.
The agreement was signed between the two parties at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat. City & Guilds International Head of International Operations John Dunken McGee signed the agreement on the organisation’s behalf.
TEVTA had accepted the City & Guilds initiative for introducing the IVQs in addition to the already offered technician and technology related courses. The agreement would provide an opportunity to polytechnics students for appearing in the International City & Guilds theory examinations and be accessed for the practical work through polytechnics.
The City and Guilds qualification network was easily adaptable for different levels of the national vocational qualifications due to its modular nature. It also provided easy entry and exit points for students at different levels of qualifications. The qualifications were highly recognised in the international technician, tradesman, technology and vocational job markets with its reputation for turning out qualifiers who were ready for industry.
The courses of the City & Guilds attracted potential employers worldwide. Keeping in mind the dynamic real estate environment in the Middle East, a favourite destination for the Pakistani workforce, graduates of City & Guilds courses had better employment opportunities than anyone else. In the initial phase, the courses of City & Guilds would be introduced in the fields of telecommunications, construction, quantity surveying, mechanical, electronics, electrical, automobile, refrigeration/air conditioning, machining, and computer aided design & draughting.
The courses would be introduced in 24 TEVTA polytechnics. Through its country representative Skills International, City & Guilds would also provide Training of Trainer Services to people identified for delivery of City & Guilds programmes. Granting ‘City & Guilds Approved Centre’ status to the participating polytechnics would earn the institutions an international benchmarking that would be pursued through the City & Guilds’ quality audits by external auditors in Pakistan.
The entire initiative would contribute towards improving employability of learners internationally and be complimentary to the current training being offered in the polytechnics.