World Youth Skills Day Celebrated Globally as Punjab Leads with Rs. 26 Billion Skills Initiative
World Youth Skills Day is being marked globally today, highlighting the critical role of technical and vocational education in building inclusive economies and resilient societies. In Pakistan, the Punjab government is taking significant steps to empower youth through a dedicated focus on skills development and entrepreneurship.
Punjab Allocates Rs. 26 Billion for Skills Development in FY 2025-26
In its 2025-26 budget, the Government of Punjab has allocated Rs. 26 billion under the CM Skilled Punjab initiative to boost technical training, entrepreneurial programs, and global employment opportunities for the youth.
This initiative places skills development at the core of Punjab’s economic strategy, ensuring that young people are equipped for both local and international job markets.
Unified Skills Policy Under One Department
For the first time, Punjab has consolidated its entire Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) framework under a single department: the Skills Development and Entrepreneurship Department (SDED).
This integration brings together:
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Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF)
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Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA)
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Punjab Vocational Training Council (PVTC)
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Punjab Skills Development Authority (PSDA)
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Punjab Board of Technical Education (PBTE)
This “one-window” system is designed to ensure policy coherence, accountability, and alignment with real labor market demands.
PSDF Leading the Way with Innovative Programs
The Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF), Pakistan’s largest skills fund, continues to lead the charge in employer-driven, outcome-based training. Over the last 15 years, it has trained more than 600,000 graduates, 44% of whom are women, across 250 different trades.
Key Programs Underway:
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PSDF | Tabeer – Rs. 2.7 billion allocated to support 2,500+ international job placements.
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PSDF | Mein Digital – Rs. 1 billion program to train 3,000 rural women in digital skills and IT.
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PSDF | Pehchan – Rs. 870 million dedicated to upskill 2,250 transgender individuals, opening pathways to employment and inclusion.
A New Era of Youth Empowerment in Punjab
Chairperson of the CM Punjab Task Force for Skills Development, Adnan Afzal Chattha, emphasized the government’s commitment to turning youth potential into economic prosperity:
“For the first time, policy-making, funding, standards, training, and placement are all housed under one umbrella. This gives us the agility and impact needed to generate jobs, boost incomes, and build a globally competitive workforce.”
He added that the initiative aims to make Pakistan a top human capital export nation, enhancing both family livelihoods and the country’s foreign exchange reserves.
Addressing National Skills Gap
Despite having over 3,000 technical and vocational institutions and about 455,000 enrolled students, the capacity falls short for the 1.7 million new entrants joining the workforce each year. This makes scalable and results-driven models like those led by PSDF critical to meet Pakistan’s growing employment and economic needs.
Final Thoughts
On World Youth Skills Day, Punjab’s bold investment in skills development sends a powerful message: the future belongs to a trained, empowered, and globally employable youth. By bridging education with opportunity, the province is setting a benchmark for others to follow.
