ISLAMABAD (APP) - National Vocational and Technical Education Commission (NAVTEC) and DESCON Engineering Limited Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop training and employment opportunities to disadvantaged populations of the country. Chairman, NAVTEC, Adnan A. Khawaja and Managing Director, DESCON, Shaikh Mazhar Ali signed the MoU at the Prime Ministers Secretariat. For the purposes of this MoU, 'disadvantaged populations include:women and men affected by calamities, such as the internally displaced persons of the conflict in Northern Pakistan, women and men from economically disadvantaged regions, and women and men with semi disabilities. Women and men from disadvantaged population groups, who have undergone a NAVTEC-sponsored training course in trades related to the construction industry, either industry specific or generic, will be eligible to be considered under this partnership. Specific trades will be decided by NAVTEC and DESCON.Under the agreement, NAVTEC will recommend graduates of NAVTECs sponsored training programs to be considered for employment by DESCON. NAVTEC will also provide financial support, in line with NAVTECs policy, if any additional training to the recommended persons is required. According to the MoU, DESCON will offer at least 100 NAVTEC-recommended trainees employment in any of their local establishment. Appreciating DESCONs initiative to offer jobs to NAVTEC-sponsored technical trained youth of IDPs, the chairman said it reflects the commitment of the private sector of the country to alleviate the sufferings of the internally displaced people. He said, DESCON has got the distinction to be the first organization to offer employment opportunities to the IDPs. He was confident that NAVTEC-DESCON cooperation will continue in future for betterment of poor segments of society. He hoped that others leading industrial concerns of private sector would come forwarded and help the government to alleviate the poverty and backwardness of down-trodden areas. Adnan Khawaja said, if we are able to train and export a good number of technically work force to foreign countries especially the Arab states, it will be a great source of foreign exchange earnings.