United States Ambassador Richard G. Olson signed an agreement to launch a vocational training program to empower Pakistani youth at the Aman Foundation’s headquarters in Karachi. The Youth Workforce Development Program will provide practical job training to under-served Pakistani youth in Sindh. These vocational and career development skills allow participants to excel in today’s competitive job market and enhance their local communities. The initiative will be funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in collaboration with AmanTech and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
During the event, Ambassador Olson said, “So many young people lack the skills and credentials they need to fill the many jobs that are available. This partnership with AmanTech and the UNDP will empower, train, and create a skilled pool of more than 16,000 workers that the private sector urgently needs.”
Under the agreement, AmanTech will work with approximately 3,600 students over a three-year period to provide vocational training and job placement services. Also, the UNDP will train more than 13,500 youth and women in the garment industry in Karachi, enabling them with marketable skills to increase their standard of living.
Underscoring the importance of the agreement, UNDP Country Director Mr. Marc-André Franche commented, “This partnership will enable the UNDP to effectively improve skills development and employment opportunities for youth in the garment industry over the next three years. This is an important step toward ensuring long-term economic growth and prosperity in Pakistan.”
The United States government works closely with strategic partners to promote economic growth and prosperity to raise the household income of all Pakistanis. Initiatives such as the Youth Workforce Development Programfocus on job training and development that will empower Pakistanis to build a self-sustaining future.
For more information on USAID economic growth programs, please visit http://www.usaid.gov/pakistan/economic-growth-agriculture.
