VET Toolbox is a partnership of leading European development agencies – British Council (UK), Enabel (Belgium), Expertise France (France), GIZ (Germany), LuxDev (Luxembourg) and AFD (France), co-funded by the European Union and by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The consortium is led by Enabel.
As part of VET Toolbox, British Council has delivered four short-term interventions and facilitated two mentoring partnerships in Pakistan.
Enhancing apprenticeships and strengthening TVET accreditation in Pakistan
The aim of this intervention is to support training providers and employers in implementing the new Apprenticeships Act. Partners include the British Council and the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission in Pakistan. The results are a dedicated handbook for implementing the new Apprenticeship Act, workshops and seminars on effective use of the handbook, and step-by-step support for training providers to implement the new Act in Punjab.
As part of its long-term strategy to boost work-based learning, Pakistan’s government passed the new Apprenticeships Act 2018, to enhance training and improve employability by strengthening apprenticeships within the country’s TVET system.
To support implementation of the new Act among training providers and employers, the VET Toolbox delivered two key initiatives to raise awareness and understanding of the law, highlight the opportunities apprenticeships can offer, and provide practical support and guidance for both TVET institutions and businesses.
Enhancing accreditation in VET institutions
The aim of this intervention is to improve the process of accreditation in VET institutions and support the international recognition of TVET qualifications. Partners include British Council and the National Accreditation Council for Technical and Vocational Stream (NAC-TVS) in Pakistan. One of the key outputs is a revised accreditation manual for use by TVET centres.
A third VET Toolbox initiative in 2021 saw the British Council support the Pakistan’s National Accreditation Council with improving the process of accreditation in VET institutions, in line with international best practice. The overall aim is to boost confidence in the quality of VET training in Pakistan, in the country’s journey towards international recognition of its TVET qualifications.
One of the initiative’s key outputs is a revised accreditation manual, which has so far been piloted in four TVET institutions across Islamabad. These providers received training on how to use the new manual from UK and local TVET experts, with a focus on establishing a common understanding of the purpose of accreditation, and the related roles and responsibilities.
The National Accreditation Council believes the new accreditation process can accelerate accreditation across the country and is aiming to accredit 2,000 training providers in the coming year.
Making TVET in Pakistan inclusive of persons with disabilities
The aim of this intervention is to develop guidelines and an assessment methodology for inclusion of persons with disabilities in TVET provision in Pakistan. Partners include the British Council, Special Talent Exchange Program (STEP) and the National Accreditation Council for Technical and Vocational Stream (NAC-TVS) in Pakistan.
This new VET Toolbox intervention has recently started and focuses on increasing the participation of people with disabilities in the workforce by improving disability mainstreaming in TVET. It has been designed to build on the work carried out as part of the VET Toolbox intervention supporting NAC-TVS to enhance accreditation process of VET institutions. The ambition of the intervention is to develop an assessment methodology to evaluate inclusivity of VET institutions, which will be integrated in the accreditation process.
Working towards international accreditation and employer engagement in TVET
A mentoring partnership to pave the way for international accreditation. Partners include Dudley College of Technology in the UK and Karachi Tools, Dies and Moulds Centre, Construction Technology Training Institute, Shipyard Training School and Government College of Technology in Pakistan.
Following a UK NARIC assessment of a number of Pakistan’s training institutions, initiated by Pakistan’s Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority, Dudley College of Technology participated in a VET Toolbox mentoring partnership, supported by the British Council, to support four of the assessed colleges address the assessment findings.
Dudley College worked closely with each college in Pakistan to develop and implement an action plan and strategy to address gaps and weaknesses. The UK college also delivered a series of training and good practice sharing workshops covering strategic planning, continuing professional development, resource and finance planning and employer engagement. These workshops included Q&A sessions, to enable participants from Pakistan gain insights into Dudley’s approach and consider how they might adapt this to their own context.
Results across the cluster of partner colleges include the development of teaching studios, improved self-assessment systems, and increased employer engagement.