Skilled, qualified and trained manpower is essential to compete with the rest of the world and to fight the different challenges facing the country.

Skilled, qualified and trained manpower is essential to compete with the rest of the world and to fight the different challenges facing the country. It was discussed at a meeting of Additional Secretary Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination Ch Muhammad Ashraf with UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Iqbal Zafar. NIP Director Umar Farooq, UAF Director Research Dr Zahir Ahmad Zahir, Internship Focal Person Dr Abdul Naveed, NIP Deputy Director Iftikhar Ahmad and other notables. The meeting also agreed to establish regional office of Prime Minister National Internship Program at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad. UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Iqbal Zafar said that skilled and trained manpower was prerequisite to make the development and prosperity in any sphere of life. He said that unemployed youth become frustrated, leading to different social evils. He said that the government was taking revolutionary step to address the issue at national level. He added that National Internship Program was a tangible step to indulge the youth in the economic activities, leading to prosper future. He said that the university was offering 200 skill development short program. Ch Muhammad Ashraf said there is a need to channelize and streamline the energies of large youth population and realize their immense economic potential. He said that a large set of Pakistani youth is frustrated and in a state of disarray due to low education levels and large scale unemployment. He said that under the Prime Minister’s Youth Program the government was providing young people with skills, training and access to finance. Training Programs and job counseling will help youth transition to work life. He said that national Internship Program is designed to provide basis for youth training and development as well as experimental learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. Director Research Dr Zahir Ahmad Zahir said that in the first phase Prime Minster Youth Training Scheme 2016, as many as 276 students were trained at the UAF whereas in 2017, as many as 296 students were given training in the campus under National Internship Program.