Friday, October 30, 2009

Thousands of Pakistani women trained as textile workers


KARACHI — The Textile Skill Development Board (TSDB) has produced 5,000 skilled female textile workers in last few years in collaboration with the textile industry, according to Textile Commissioner Idrees Ahmed.

During a ceremony at the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in Karachi on Oct. 20, Ahmed awarded certificates to 70 women who had recently completed training in skilled textile manufacturing.

Federal minister for the industry, Rana Farooq Saeed Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Mohsin Ayub Mirza, and senior representatives of the industry also attended the ceremony.

The textile industry has been facing a skilled labour shortage in recent years. With the support of the industry, the TSDB is making strenuous efforts to train the numbers of women required to meet the growing demand for skilled textile workers, Ahmed said. The need is greatest in the production of garments, a leading export industry.

Shortly after completing training, all the graduates found jobs in textile units registered with the TSDB, he added.

Ahmad said the board was planning to set up more training centres, including some in rural areas, to produce an even larger force of skilled female workers.

Speaking earlier, Saeed said the government had allocated millions of dollars to support research and development in the industry. The government announced its textile policy last July to enhance exports from the current US$10 billion to $25 billion over the next five years, he added.

During the ceremony, Chairman Mirza announced that a two-month specialist training course in the use of various mechanical stitching machines would soon be implemented, to provide skilled employees for the garment industry. He said the units established at the EPZ in Karachi would ensure jobs for all women completing their training in future.a

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