Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday expressed satisfaction over the performance of the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) and directed the formulation of new targets to further strengthen Pakistan’s technical and vocational training ecosystem, his office said. Chairing a review meeting in Islamabad, the prime minister underscored the need to align skills development programmes with international standards to enhance the global competitiveness of Pakistan’s workforce. He also stressed effective implementation of the apprenticeship law and called for expedited coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis to increase the absorption of skilled Pakistani labour in Gulf countries. The prime minister said Pakistan’s youth possess immense potential and that a comprehensive programme had been launched through NAVTTC to channel their capabilities productively. He noted that the technical and vocational training initiatives under NAVTTC were yielding positive results. Shehbaz Sharif directed that a biometric attendance system be implemented for trainees and instructors across all NAVTTC partner institutions, and called for expanding collaboration with provincial bodies to widen the reach of training programmes. He emphasised that providing internationally recognised certifications in high-demand skills should remain a top priority. The prime minister also instructed that underperforming training institutions affiliated with NAVTTC be suspended and proceeded against, and called for further strengthening digitisation and online monitoring mechanisms within the organisation. The meeting was attended by private-sector third-party validators, industry partners, professional firms, representatives of chambers of commerce and business associations, as well as experts from the artificial intelligence and information technology sectors. Officials briefed the meeting that NAVTTC had achieved all training targets assigned by the prime minister. Third-party validation mechanisms have been put in place, including biometric attendance for students and quality assurance for trainers. The meeting was informed that Pakistan’s first skill-based bond has been launched under NAVTTC, enabling results-based funding for vocational training through private-sector participation. Training programmes are currently underway nationwide in sectors including information technology, agriculture, fintech, mining, tourism, sports, hospitality and shipbuilding, in line with international market demand. For the first time in Pakistan’s history, all NAVTTC programmes have been aligned with industry needs, with 148 industries engaged in programme design. Vocational training initiatives have also been introduced in madrasahs. Providing statistics, officials said that 146,000 individuals received training through NAVTTC last year, while over 15,000 were awarded international certifications. Under the Takamol system, more than 300,000 people were trained, with over 280,000 securing employment in Saudi Arabia. Following evaluation of more than 350 institutions, NAVTTC granted licences to provide internationally accredited training. The meeting was further informed that over 10,000 individuals were trained under an industry-specific pilot project, while 2,600 new institutions were registered. Payments to training providers are made on a results-based model. Briefings were also given on partnerships with Google, Microsoft and other international certification bodies. Expressing satisfaction with NAVTTC’s performance, the prime minister directed the commission to set new, ambitious targets to further improve outcomes in skills development and workforce employability.