PVTC ChairmanMajor Shahnawaz Badar (R)PVTC is a

world class skill imparting organization

hospitalityplus.com.pk/pvtc-chairmanmajor-shahnawaz-badar-rpvtc-is-a-world-class-skill-imparting-organization

March 15, 2021

PVTC is a unique model of its kind in the entire Muslim World, which utilizes Zakat as a
tool of skills and economic empowerment.

When did you join PVTC?

PVTC has a 15 Members Governing Council like Board of Directors out of which 3
Members are from the Government Departments and rest all are professionals or from
the private sector. I joined PVTC as a Council Member in October 2018 and was
appointed as Chairman PVTC on May 22, 2019 by the Chief Minister, Punjab.

Kindly tell us about your experience in PVTC?

Punjab Vocational Training Council (PVTC) was established in October 1998 on the basis
of Public Private Partnership by the Government of the Punjab. PVTC is utilizing Zakat
Funds for poverty alleviation on the principle of dole out to pay roll by providing demand
driven skill training to deserving youth specially Mustahaqeen–e–Zakat at their doorstep,
involving private sector to enhance employability and assist the graduates in their
placement for permanent rehabilitation and arranging financial support for their self-
employment from Micro Finance Institutions and NGOs.

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PVTC is a unique model of its kind in the entire Muslim World, which utilizes Zakat as a
tool of skills and economic empowerment. It has pioneered way to channel Muslim
Charity (Zakat) funds to support an effective model of vocational training for the
permanent rehabilitation of the poorest youth of society.

During my service I came across TEVTA only but believe me after joining PVTC, I am of
the opinion that PVTC is doing a great job by providing employable skills to the poorest
youth to enable them to earn their respectable living for their families. It’s a noble cause
and if we can improve the life of some of the youth it will be a Sadqa-e-Jaria.

What is your take on TVET system at national and international level?

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) systems all over the world are
constantly challenged by this question as to how to respond to the demand of knowledge
based economy. As TVET systems and their training programs directly relate to the world
of work in terms of quantity and quality output, the approach of TVET programs needs to
focus on the acquisition of employable skills.

As far as national perspective is concerned, unfortunately our TVET system is highly

fragile and fragmented.

What are the major challenges of TVET system?

The biggest challenge is that more than 120 million or 60% of Pakistan’s rapidly growing
population of 207.77 million is below the age of 35 years. If this demographic dividend is
harnessed and skilled to meet domestic and international market requirements, the youth
bulge would yield increased industrial productivity and higher foreign remittances. If left
unskilled and not economically engaged, many of them may fall prey to the extremist and
criminal elements of the society and which will be a disaster for the already ailing
economy of Pakistan.

The existing TVET system in Pakistan is facing major challenges of quality of training as
per international standards, governance and availability of adequate funds. In order to
improve our existing TVET system in Pakistan we must ensure the availability of demand
driven curricula, curricula compliant labs, properly trained instructors and availability of
assured and sustainable funding to the TVET providers like TEVTA and PVTC.

In spite of these challenges how PVTC has performed over the last two
decades?

As already mentioned, PVTC has extensively contributed towards poverty alleviation

through vocational training within meager financial resources mainly through zakat
funds. Although there has been some national and international interventions like Punjab
Growth Strategy (2015-18) and international donor funding but mainly Zakat has been
the only source of funding for PVTC. Since PVTC is offering 6 months and 1 year courses
which attract the youth as these courses are the shortest possible route to engage the
youth for gainful livelihood opportunities.

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You will be pleased to note that as per third party evaluation by DG M&E, P&D
Department, Govt. of Punjab, employment of PVTC graduates is 82% for the period 2010-
14. I would like to share with you that even during COVID-19 pandemic situation PVTC
did not stop its training activities and we were the first one to provide online training to
the trainers and trainees and we plan to expand it further.

What is your vision for your organizations?

In order to achieve certain goals and objectives you always need a winning team around. I
have a competent and motivated team available and if adequate funds are allocated to
PVTC it can achieve any target. My vision is to see PVTC as an organization which applies
best international practices and training standards to become the first choice of all
employers at national and international level.

What is leadership to you? How can we differentiate between a leader and a

manager?

Leadership is a phenomenon, in which you set your organizational goals and objectives. A
leader gives you vision and sets goals for you and the manager facilitates you to achieve
these goals.

Please list & rank your three job motivators being a Chairman?

a. Contributing towards improving the quality of life of youth.

1. Providing best employable skills to the youth enabling them to get jobs or be
an entrepreneur.
1. Giving a brand name to PVTC for its excellence with a highest level of
employment in the country.

What is your definition of excellence or peak performance?

When your competitors make you or your organization a benchmark and follow all your
footprints, I would call it excellence or peak performance for me.

How do you manage your anger and stress?

Well! anger needs to be controlled. It is not easy but you have to show your team that you
are a calm person and don’t try to create panic. Taking stress will not help in any given
situation. If you are under stress, clear thinking is also affected.

Where do you see PVTC after five years?

I see PVTC as a world class skill imparting organization by providing best employable
skills to its trainees in all sectors of economic development. We plan to improve quality of
training through implementation of Competency Based Training (CBT) and online
courses with blended learning approach. We would also like that some of our VTIs are
developed as sector specific Centers of Excellence (CoEs) in the hospitality, construction,
CPEC and health sectors to produce skilled workforce for the employers.

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Any message to the younger generation?

Believe in your potential and company goals and objectives. Try your best to achieve them
at all cost. Work as a team and celebrate as a team too.

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