As Pakistan is struggling to improve high-tech human capital development, one of key objective of Pakistan’s 13th economic plan 2024-2029, China-aided skilled-based human resource programs are a silver lining equipping Pakistani youth with different expertise. Most of the Chinese companies working on CPEC and Non-CPEC projects have gone full steam ahead by producing skilful workforce through their technical and vocational institutes as well human capacity building initiatives in the length and breadth of Pakistan.

With an investment of 26 million yuan (3.6 million U.S. dollars), the Huaneng Pakistan Vocational and Technical College established by Sahiwal coal-fired power plant, a flagship project of CPEC in eastern Sahiwal district of Pakistan, has empowered over 6,000 local youth by enhancing their employment skills through collaborative training with local universities, practical workshops, significantly contributing to workforce development, Gwadar Pro reported on Wednesday.

Among the nearly 800 Pakistani employees working at the power station, there are more than 200 engineers who received modern technical trainings in China. Currently, 26 of them have moved to the vital positions of management, production, and others. The Pak-China Technical & Vocational Institute (PCTVI) in Gwadar built with Chinese grant under CPEC framework, has also been providing technical and vocational trainings to local youth free of cost. Recently it enrolled 93 students along with 10 specialized diploma programs.

Designed to meet the needs of the region's rapidly growing high-tech industries, the institute offers a diverse range of skill-based training courses, including Maritime & Port Management, Software Technology, Tourism Management, E-Commerce, Mechatronics, Chinese and English Language, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Construction Engineering, and Overhead Crane Operation.

According to PCTVI Executive Director Prof. Dr. Manzoor Syed, the institute aims to equip the local population with the skills necessary to support Gwadar’s economic growth, particularly as the city continues to develop through major industrial projects such as the Gwadar Port Free Zone and Export Processing Zone. As per World Bank Group report May 01, 2023 “Pakistan Human Capital Review: Building Capabilities Throughout Life,” Pakistan is having lower human capital outcomes than less economically advantaged groups in peer countries.

Pakistan’s Human Capital Index (HCI) value of 0.41 is low in both absolute and relative terms. It is lower than the South Asia. In a bid to make a turnaround, a milestone in technical educational cooperation between China and Pakistan was achieved last year with the formation of the China-Pakistan Digital Education Alliance. The alliance, jointly initiated by ITMC Technology Co Ltd and UNI International, along with over 160 Chinese and Pakistani technical and vocational education and training (TVET) partners, aims to strengthen Pakistan’s TVET system.

In order to deepen China-Pakistan technical and vocational collaboration, more than fifteen Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) have been signed with Chinese institutions. On March 27, 2025 Technology giant, Huawei Technologies has launched a program to provide 60,000 Pakistanis hi-tech training, while 240,000 trainees will receive basic IT training.

The training of all 300,000 participants will be completed by the end of this year. The development came during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s meeting with Huawei delegation led by CEO Ethen Sun. As Pakistan and China expand vocational training partnership, the Gansu Provincial Department of Education recently announced the first batch of recognized “Bailie Workshop” construction projects, selecting five vocational colleges from the province.

Among them, the “Pakistani Bailie Workshop” project, initiated by Gansu Vocational College of Communications, was successfully chosen. China Metallurgical Group Corp, or MCC, managing the construction of the Saindak Copper-Gold Mine based on an engineering, procurement and construction contract in Balochistan, to date, Saindak Copper-Gold Mine has more than 1,500 Pakistani employees.

Every year, MCC assigns its Chinese engineers to conduct skills training. So far, more than 10,000 training sessions of various kinds have been held covering approximately 100,000 man-hours. Thousands of Pakistani employees have become skilled through the systematic training. Some of them took their skills out of the project and are contributing to the economic and social advancement of different sectors in Pakistan.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP) — Pak-China