By Faiza Tehseen ISLAMABAD, Feb. 10 (INP-WealthPK): To achieve sustainable development, Pakistan has to invest heavily in the skill development of youth, which makes a whopping 64% of the country’s total population. Such a large number of youth is a great asset for a developing country like Pakistan, and the government should focus on their quality development as many a developing country has progressed only by focusing on uplift of its youth. Efforts should be made to enable youth in rural areas, where almost two-thirds of the population concentrates, to get decent jobs or initiate their own ventures to end rural-urban disparity in development. The more the youth get skilled, the more Pakistan will be able to ensure sustainable development. A country’s steady pace of progress and development is based on the provision of quality education to its youth and skills training to enable the youth to play their critical role in the socioeconomic uplift. Mostly, the youth in Pakistan are faced with challenges of livelihood protection and employment opportunities. World Bank’s collection of development indicators shows that the share of Pakistan’s uneducated, unemployed and unskilled youth was 31.0% in 2018. According to the Global Youth Development Index (2021), Pakistan ranked 162nd out of 181 countries. The report says that developing countries have made their internet access better while the rural development in such regions is also increasing. Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) is a key element of any policy initiative aiming to improve the socioeconomic conditions of its people. Unfortunately, enrolment in Pakistan in specialised TVET training remains low irrespective of gender. Currently, about 32% of children aged between 5-16 years are out of school and the unemployment rate increased to 4.40% in 2020 and was expected to reach 5.0% by the end of year 2021. Pakistan will be able to overcome such issues only when it adopts inclusive and innovative policies in collaboration with all the stakeholders. Unfortunately, a lack of awareness among a large number of young people is also a great hurdle to providing them proper assistance in finding jobs. Notwithstanding the rather unhelpful conditions, Pakistan has taken initiatives like Kamyab Jawan Programme, youth enterpreneurship scheme, and Ehsaas loans for empowerment of youth through financial and technical help. Under the youth enterpreneurship scheme, enrolment in technical institutions is being increased and new centres are being set up. The Bureau of Immigration and Overseas Employment data shows that 11.2 million skilled persons in multiple fields went overseas during the year 2020. Since the development of national “skills for all” strategy by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority in 2018, a number of initiatives have been undertaken to increase the role of private sector for better performance of the TVET sector. As a result of such interventions, the TVET sector is producing a more skillful, competent, motivated, enterpreneurial and creative workforce compatible with both national and international standards. The government should endeavour to further enhance the role of the private sector to expand the outreach of the TVET sector to the countryside to train the millions of youth awaiting to be adjusted in the economic activity.