LAHORE (PR): The Competency Based Training and Assessment (CBT&A) approach ensures better employable skills for graduates in the labour market and plays a vital role to bring a paradigm shift in improving the perception about the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

These remarks were made at an orientation on CBT&A here on Wednesday organised at a local hotel by the Punjab Vocational Training Council (PVTC) in collaboration with the TVET Reform Support Programme, which is funded by the European Union, the Federal Republic of Germany and the Royal Norwegian Embassy, implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaftfür Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in close collaboration with the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) as well as provincial Technical Education and Vocational Training Authorities (TEVTAs) and private sector organisations.

CBT&A is a latest training approach in Pakistan, which ensures quality skills training to meet the job market requirements. In this approach, learners are trained through practical demonstrations and are assessed on the basis of their competence.

PVTC officials including Syed Ghazanfar Abbas and Bushra Nawaz apprised that PVTC is offering CBT&A courses in 54 institutes across the province; where this approach involves development of curriculum through detailed participation of trainers and experts from the industry.

This unique method of curriculum development and training induces a pre-employment learning mechanism in the graduates enabling them to get decent employment opportunities in the market. This particular approach also enables the employers to seek relevant trained workforce for efficient work performance.

Dr Tauqeer Ahmad, Head of Examination from PVTC, gave a detailed presentation on the assessment process through CBT&A approach. Participants from private and public sector institutes were also present in this session, where a detailed presentation and candid discussion on curriculum development, its revision process and latest assessment criteria helped the participants to have a broader understanding of CBT&A.

All the Principals of Lahore VTIs, Admission & Placement officers, instructors and imminent people from industry participated in this orientation session.