NAVTTC, in collaboration with the European Union and supported by GIZ, hosted the Two Days International Dialogue on TVET in the Shifting Socio-Economic Paradigm to examine how skills development must respond to changing economic realities in Pakistan.
A high-level panel on Entrepreneurship & Innovative Funding examined opportunities and challenges for skilled workers in Pakistan and underlined that skilled workers need more than training; they need pathways to entrepreneurship and access to finance. Speakers stressed that TVET entrepreneurship requires tailored financing instruments, mentorship and market linkages to convert skills into viable businesses.
Speakers included Syeda Amina Batool, MNA and Focal Person PMYP, Bilal Abbasi, General Manager Projects at Ignite, Dr. Tony Degazon, Regional Manager for City & Guilds Middle East, AVM Dr. Liaquat Ullah Iqbal, DG PR & CDP at NASTP, Fatima Javed, Joint Director at the State Bank of Pakistan, and Ahmed Khan, CEO of Punjab Skills Development Fund. The discussion was moderated by Mansoor Ali from GIZ.
Panelists explored how innovative funding models can unlock opportunities for Pakistan’s workforce and drive sustainable growth, highlighting the roles of institutions in supporting financing, accreditation and enterprise support. The conversation focused on practical mechanisms such as blended finance, public-private partnerships and targeted entrepreneurship support to scale the impact of TVET entrepreneurship across provinces.
Organisers and participants agreed that sustained collaboration between government agencies, development partners and industry is essential to turn TVET entrepreneurship into lasting employment and business creation for Pakistan’s skilled workers.
