Maryam launches 'Skills on Wheel' project to train 100,000 youth

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has announced the launch of ‘Skills on Wheel Project’ aimed at training 100,000 youth in highly paid technical skills.

The initiative was discussed in a meeting chaired by the CM on Wednesday, where a comprehensive plan to send skilled workers abroad was also deliberated.

The chief minister highlighted the importance of equipping youth with skills that would open doors to both local and international job markets. The goal is to provide training and job placements for one lakh skilled individuals. She also directed that business cards and finance loans be made available to trained youth on a priority basis.

The ‘Skills on Wheel Project’ will be launched in remote areas in collaboration with the private sector, bringing skill development directly to underserved communities. In the first phase, the CM Punjab also approved the launch of ‘Plug and Play Call Centres’. Partnering with IBEX, 5,000 youth will receive call centre training, enabling them to secure jobs offering salaries of up to Rs100,000 per month after just six weeks of training.

A proposal for issuing skill cards was also discussed, which would help the trained individuals showcase their expertise to potential employers. In addition, the meeting decided to provide training to 480 women at the Garment Training Institute in Quaid-e-Azam Business Park. These women will also receive pick-and-drop facilities, along with Rs20,000 per month during their training, with placements arranged in major textile groups.

Additionally, the meeting discussed the introduction of the ‘Moraki’ project for hospitality sector training. The programme will offer six-month free hospitality training in collaboration with the British institution CTH, with job placements arranged in leading hotels. The ‘Pehchan’ programme for transgenders, which has already trained 1,600 individuals in fields like textile, makeup, and backstage production, was also highlighted. Participants in the programme receive Rs8,000 per month, and job placements are being arranged.