punjab youth workforce development project …

Disclaimer: This report for USAID-Punjab Youth Workforce Development project is made possible by the support of the American people through the United

States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the sole responsibility of the USAID-Punjab Youth Workforce Development project and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

Contract Number: AID-391-C-16-00001

Project Start and End Date: May 18, 2016 to September 19, 2019

Submitted to: Waseem Ashraf, COR, USAID

Submitted by: Qaisar Nadeem, Chief of Party, (PYWD Project)

Tel: +92.300.850.4447

Email: [email protected]

PUNJAB YOUTH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT(YEAR 2)

Final Report

October 2017 to September 2018

1 | ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT: OCT 2017 – SEP 2018 | USAID-PUNJAB YOUTH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF ACRONYMS 2

I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3

II. BACKGROUND 6

III. PROGRAM ACHIEVEMENTS 8

1. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 8

2. INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING 13

2.1. CAPACITY BUILDING OF TRAINING INSTITUTES 13

2.2. CAREER COUNSELING SERVICES & PLACEMENT 15

3. ACCESS TO WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING 17

3.1. TRAINING AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT 17

3.2. ENROLLMENTS IN ON-THE-JOB TRAINING WITH INDUSTRIES 28

IV. MONITORING, EVALUATION AND LEARNING (MEL) 30

V. PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED AND PROPOSED SOLUTIONS 36

VI. COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH 38

VII. FINANCIAL PROGRESS 52

ANNEXURES 53

ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT: OCT 2017 – SEP 2018 | USAID-PUNJAB YOUTH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT | 2

LIST OF ACRONYMS

APO Admissions and Placements Officer

CO Community Organization

COP Chief of Party

COR Contracting Officer's Representative

DIH District Industrial Homes

DO Development Objective

GESI Gender Equity& Social Inclusion

GOP Government of Pakistan

GOPb Government of Punjab

GTTI Government Technical Training Institute

HHRD Helping Hand for Relief & Development

HVAC Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning

ICT Information & Communication Technology

IPO Institute Placement Officers

IR Intermediate Result

IRM Institute for Rural Management

LOE Level of Effort

LOP Life of Program

LTTA Long Term Technical Assistance

MCCI Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry

MoU Memorandum of Understanding

M&E Monitoring & Evaluation

NCRP Nur Center for Research and Policy

MIS Management Information System

NGOs Non-Governmental Organizations

NOC No Objection Certificate

OJT On the Job Training

PGICA Pak-German Institute of Co-operative Agriculture

PPAF Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund

PPP Public Private Partnership

PSDF Punjab Skills Development Fund

PVTC Punjab Vocational Training Council

PYWD Punjab Youth Workforce Development

RAC Refrigeration and Air Conditioning

RMEA Repair and Maintenance of Electrical Appliances

SO Strategic Objective

STTA Short Term Technical Assistance

SWD Social Welfare Department

TBD To Be Decided/Determined

TIs Training Institutes

TOR Terms of Reference

TTB Trade Testing Board

TVET Technical & Vocational Education and Training

TEVTA Technical Education & Vocational Training Authority

USAID United States Agency for International Development


I. Executive Summary

During last two years, the PYWD project has positioned itself as an important contributor to the

youth workforce development. It has done so by not only providing Technical & Vocational Education

and Training (TVET) to the focused youth in the four targeted districts but also by leveraging regional

strengths and tackling challenges. The project further gained high momentum by capitalizing on the

opportunities that emerged from the strong relationships created with communities, government,

businesses, and industries in the target districts.

The PYWD project is a community-driven youth intervention and community integration revolves

around the whole theme of the project. In Year 2, the project further penetrated communities and

expanded its outreach with the intent to reach the maximum direct and indirect beneficiaries. As part

of expanding its community outreach, 120 new COs/Stakeholders were engaged in the project districts

(Multan, Bahawalpur, Lodhran and Muzaffargarh) and at least one comprehensive consultative session

was convened with each newly registered CO.

Approximately 8,568 youth were identified from the focus districts for training and on-job-training.

Furthermore, the project formed 22 Reflect Circles (RCs) and supported 44 reflect sessions with the

Reflect Circles for identification of community schemes to address the local issues. The members of

the RCs worked together and identified 22 community projects with mutual consent. Moreover, more

than 778 school students were exposed to the different technical and vocational training institutes and

acquainted them with the potential career opportunities in TVET sector. The training and job

placements of youth were carried out following a comprehensive community referral of youth from

the designated Community Organizations (COs) in their respective districts. To ensure selection of

youth from disadvantaged/underserved groups for enrollments the project followed rigorous selection

criteria. The project identified deserving youth for project’s training, self-employment and

entrepreneurial streams, thereby extending its reach to those living in extreme poverty. As a result,

the project has trained 1,606 youth in Year 1 and enrolled 1,565 youth in Year 2 under Institutional

training.

At the end of Year 2, the project had successfully enrolled 3,171 youth at different Institutes where

1,206 youth were enrolled in trainings at Technical Education & Vocational Training Authority

(TEVTA); 1,253 youth were enrolled in trainings at Punjab Vocational Training Council (PVTC); 600

youth were enrolled at Private Institutes in demand-driven trades; and 112 were trained with Industrial

Homes. In addition, 600 youth were enrolled in demand-driven trades of private institutes through

the project’s partner Institute of Rural Management (IRM) and through the College of Tourism and

Hotel Management (COTHM).

The project also trained 671 youth on entrepreneurship to enhance their skills on establishing new

business and assisted them to develop business plan to start new business. The project also provided

On-the-Job Training (OTJ)/apprenticeships to 1,738 youth, which laid a solid foundation to uplift

trainees. A total of 2,039 youth were placed on jobs with different employers in Year 2.

The project team arranged a series of community youth events in target districts, which brought

energy, creativity, empowerment, enthusiasm for new ideas, and confidence among youth. The major

events were organized to commemorate Independence Day, Green & Clean Pakistan with youth,

Government Officials and leading community members. An overwhelming response from youth was


witnessed in the districts along with active participation of key guests from district governments,

training institutions, community members, and relevant partners. The events were highly commended

by all notables, who have honored the events as key guests, and were impressed by the positive

participation from youth. A total of 20 youth awareness sessions/events were celebrated in project

districts in which approx.. 3,736 youth and community members participated.

In Year 2, the project in collaboration with Akhuwat (PYWD project’s partner organization for

microfinance), disbursed loans worth of USD $ 215,447 to a pool of 590 (154 females and 436 males)

graduates of Enterprise Development Training. The project continued to maintain highest standard of

transparency and accountability in disbursing stipends to trainees through Cash on Counter (COC)

and distributing stipend to trainees on an individual basis. The youth who received entrepreneurship

training and loans are optimistic about their ability to establishing and furthering their small

entrepreneurial ventures for sustainable income generation.

A major achievement of the project in Year 2 was the successful launch of Technical Education and

Vocational Training (TVET) Skills Gap Analysis Report. This skills gap analysis report provides insights

into the hiring trends of the market while understanding the needs of the job seekers and synthesizes

the findings of seven reports produced on skills gaps in the country, highlighting their relevance in

today’s context and future trend in job market. The report also calls attention to the newly emerging

sectors in Multan, Bahawalpur, Lodhran and Muzaffargarh, including hospitality and healthcare.

Capacity building is an integral component of the project. Therefore, the project supported neglected

Training Institutions with the provision of furniture and fixtures, retrofitting of laboratories and

classrooms and training of staff of Training Institutes. The project has also conducted an in-depth

assessment on the viability and skill profiling of healthcare assistants trade and completed a curriculum

revision for Clinical Assistant curriculum of PVTC. The technical support included upgradation of

curriculum, Training of Master Trainers on upgraded curriculum and provision of required equipment

to fulfill the needs of upgraded course. Moreover, the project has established 08 Carrier Counseling

Centers, which supported the project for job placements of unemployed youth. The project has

provided capacity building services to 807 unemployed youth regarding career counseling services and

facilitated youth for employer linkages which resulted in job placement of 226 unemployed youth with

different employers.

The PYWD project also created a new bar for USAID projects in Pakistan by fulfilling all regulatory

compliance activities for legally operating at the federal, provincial and priority districts’ level. It

attained its NOC from the Home Department, Government of Punjab, Pakistan for Year 3. Similarly,

continuous collaborations with Technical and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA)1 and Punjab

Vocational Training Council (PVTC)2 and Industrial Homes who are the premier training providers in

the targeted districts. Cognizant of private sector’s role in the project, the project is extending its

collaboration networks with industry/employer’s network for requisite support in opening economic

1 www.tevta.gop.pk 2 www.pvtc.gop.pk

http://www.tevta.gop.pk/

http://www.pvtc.gop.pk/


opportunities for the youth beneficiaries of the project. Subsequently, these collaborations resulted in

direct access to employment opportunities for PYWD project trained youth.

In conclusion, Year 2 further enforced the project direction to accelerate its intended results and to

continue contributing broadly to USAID’s stabilization efforts in the region. The project gained

significant momentum, positioning itself as an important player in supporting the development of the

youth in Punjab, and through the forging of strategic alliance with highly credible partners, it is poised

in Year 3, to help a larger number of youth hailing from marginalized communities.

The Year 2 annual progress report is organized in the following areas to document progress made on

the PYWD Project: Section II provides a background of the project. Section III lists the major

activities undertaken, milestones achieved, and performance standards attained during this reporting

period. Section IV discusses the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning updates. Section V discusses

the problems encountered by the project, their status and proposed solutions to new or ongoing

problems. It also highlights the best practices that were adopted by the PYWD Project. Section VI

provides an overview of the communication and outreach component and provides a few success

stories. Section VII reflects on financial information over the reporting period.


Background

Year 2 of the Punjab Youth Workforce Development (PYWD) project ran from October 1, 2017 to

September 30, 2018, marking significant achievements, which will positively impact the implementation

of future activities. The project strengthened collaboration and formal partnerships with local

authorities and district governments. District governments have taken more ownership of the program

as key officials participated in events arranged by the PYWD team in target districts. This ownership

and assistance will have positive effects in the time to come for the PYWD project.

Louis Berger quickly put together an alternate delivery strategy for program implementation, including

the introduction of new program initiatives/subcontracts. This included the Skills for Market Linkages

Program (in collaboration with Punjab Skills Development Program (PSDP), TVET training with

TEVTA, PVTC and Industrial Homes, demand driven training in Private Institutes through (Institute of

Rural Management) IRM and microfinance activities with Akhuwat. The PYWD project concluded

successful Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) with Private Sector Employers such as Allied Solar

(Pvt.) and S & J Engineering Works for training and placement of project youth on Jobs after providing

necessary apprenticeship training in the most demanded trades. These collaboration paved ways for

the PYWD project to provide On Job training to unemployed youth, which will lead to job placement

of these youth in the same industry.

The project secured more contract letters for job placements of youth from different employers,

industries and businesses in their organizations for on-the-job training and apprenticeships. The project

is exploiting the potential of local industry as 1,738 youth trainees have been placed in various on job

training and apprenticeship programs. This is opening a window of opportunity for the youth for an

enhanced economic outlook of the target districts. Moreover, the passion and enthusiasm of youth

witnessed in community events testify to the project’s impact on shaping positive behaviors and

attitudes. Positive feedback from communities and ownership by the district and local authorities will

push the PYWD project into the right direction, and towards the achievement of project success.

The PYWD team has assisted many youths especially women in the process of being registered with

the national database for their CNIC, especially women in target districts. This right of citizenship to

most marginalized and discriminated female youth guaranteed that the community mobilization is

headed in the right direction. Encouraging feedback from the communities and youth on programmatic

initiatives demonstrate that this ownership will ultimately result in shaping a better and informed

society and youth.


Program Overview

The USAID-PYWD project is a 3-year project funded

by USAID and being implemented by the Louis Berger

Group (Louis Berger). The program is intended to

promote economic growth by improving

opportunities for youth and building socially-

constructive attitudes among the communities. This 3-

year effort includes active community engagement to

encourage socially constructive attitudes and generate

employment opportunities for unemployed youth

from disadvantaged or underserved groups, thereby

seeking to mitigate extremism and instability. The

focus districts for the PYWD project are Bahawalpur,

Lodhran, Multan, and Muzaffargarh.

The Project will have a far-reaching impact on the

communities in the selected areas through three main

project components as outlined below:

I. Community Engagement: Under this

component, community organizations are

involved in identification of youth and promotion of socially constructive behavior among the

youth, including opening prospects for skills development and gainful economic opportunities.

II. Institutional Capacity Building: This component involves upgrading the capacity of 22

local institutions to offer modern, market-driven courses that better equip students for gainful

employment or entrepreneurship.

III. Access to Workforce Education and Training: Under this component, PYWD project

is enabling youth from disadvantaged/underserved groups to seize new work-learning

opportunities and build skills--valued by employers--to increase their income.

The PYWD Project was conceptualized to transform the growing “youth bulge” of Pakistan, especially

in the focus districts of South Punjab, into a growth dividend through provision of opportunities to

acquire market-led skills that promote employment and entrepreneurship. The project has two broad

results to complement USAID’s stability efforts in Pakistan:

1. to increase youth economic opportunities; and

2. to enhance socially constructive attitudes and beliefs among youth and their communities.

The project is targeting 10,000 youth aged between 16-29 years, out of which at least 35% will be

women.

Figure 3: Map of Selected Districts

Figure 1. PYWD Project target districts in Punjab.


Program Achievements

This section of the report highlights program achievements for Year 2. Programmatic achievements

for all three components; Community Engagement, Institutional Capacity Building, and Access to

Workforce Education and Training, are summarized below:

1) COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

The engagement of community in the target districts is the first step of community mobilization. During

the reporting year, the Project’s community engagement team expanded its outreach by conducting

field activities such as identification of COs, identification of marginalized youth, youth awareness

sessions, REFLECT circle sessions, and exposure visits of school children to TVET institutes. Several

local-level collaborations were developed with influential community members and other key

stakeholders who volunteer and are willing to extend their support in implementation of the PYWD

project activities for marginalized youth of focus districts. The Project is continuously generating

support for implementation through robust community mobilization initiated during the year and is

expanding its programmatic outreach.

1.1. Identify and engage existing Community Organization (COs)/stakeholders

During the reporting period, 120 new Community Organizations (COs) & Stakeholders were

identified and engaged in project districts i.e. Multan, Bahawalpur, Lodhran and Muzaffargarh. All newly

identified COs were sensitized about the PYWD project in consultative sessions and resolutions were

signed with them. The identification of new COs reflects the fact that the PYWD project is penetrating

deep into the communities in target districts. The CO/Stakeholder identification is carried out as part

of community mobilization, and the identified COs provide outreach in the community to engage

marginalized groups in project’s community resilience support activities and are especially helpful in

nominating marginalized youth for program participation.

District-wise details of COs & Stakeholders are shown in Figure 2.

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Multan Muzaffargarh Lodhran Bahawalpur

2522

36 37

Figure 2: Number of PYWD project-identified COs/stakeholders by Districts


1.2. Consultative meetings with selected COs in four districts

A consultative meeting is a forum where the identified CO/NGO/CBOs’ members meet in a group of

10-15 individuals and include males, females, or both in the meeting. The rationale for conducting a

consultative session is to orient new organizations/stakeholders about the PYWD project activities

and community mobilization. In the current year, 120 consultative sessions were held with the newly-

identified COs/Stakeholders. The team representatives from the regional office also participated in all

the consultative sessions along with M&E field coordinators. There was a set pattern adopted for a

consultative session to amplify the project’s image in the community and an expanded presence in the

districts. A brief description about the proceedings of a consultative meeting is detailed below in

Figure 3.

Figure 3: Description and Contents of a consultative meeting

CONSULTATIVE SESSION

DESCRIPTION

CONULTATIVE SESSION CONTENT

1) Composition of a Consultative

Session

No. of Participants: 10-15 youth (Male

and Female, or both), PYWD Project

team representatives

1) Major Project Objectives:

• To support greater community engagement

opportunities for and with local youth aimed at

developing constructive attitudes and beliefs;

• To provide skills training to 9,000 marginalized

youth and provide job/self-employment

opportunities for 7,200 youth.

2) Major Interventions: The PYWD project will

facilitate employment opportunities for 10,000 youth

(including 35% women). It will mobilize community

engagement, build capacity of institutions, develop

partnerships with employers, improve career counseling

and expand entrepreneurship opportunities.

3) Identification of Local Community

Organizations (COs): Local Community Organizations

(COs) will be selected for facilitation in selection of youth

for training courses. These COs will be selected based

upon a pre-specified selection criterion.

4) Criteria for Youth Selection: The candidate should

be a resident of one of the four focus districts, aged

between 16 to 29 years, and possess a basic qualifying

educational level for specific trades. Preferred candidates

will include: beneficiaries of BISP, youth with low scores

on the poverty score card, school dropouts, madrasah

graduates, youth with prison records, victims of domestic

abuse or violence, and those not already participating in

any other training opportunities funded by another donor.

2) Initiation of Meeting

The meeting starts with the recitation

of Holy Quran/Bible by one of the

participant followed by the

introduction of CO and PYWD

representatives.

3) Proceeding and Conclusion

PYWD project representatives

present detail orientation about the

project with a special emphasis on the

role of COs in community mobilization

and the identification of marginalized

youth.

The objective of the consultative

meeting is to get feedback from the

community, selection criteria for youth

and to gather community feedback to

strengthen the implementation of the

project.


1.3. Identification of youth from disadvantaged/underserved groups

The goal of the project revolves around reaching youth from disadvantaged/underserved groups. Once

the community has identified partner COs and subsequently has conducted consultative meetings, the

next step is the identification of marginalized youth from the community in coordination with the CO.

After a detailed briefing on the Project, the PYWD project staff share criteria regarding the

identification and selection of the marginalized youth. The criteria were strictly adhered in order to

select the deserving youth from disadvantaged or

underserved groups. Overall, the project has identified

11,536 youth by the end of Year 2, out of which 8,568

youth were identified in the reporting year.

The identification process also targeted women, another

key priority for the project. Figure 4 shows the gender-

wise segregation of 4,872 (57%) male youth and 3,696

(43%) female youth identified in Year 2. These identified

youths were provided with Institutional Training leading to

either self-employment or wage employment.

1.4. Awareness sessions for youth in four target districts

The project designed and conducted youth awareness sessions to inform youth about the PYWD

project, including its objectives and the major activities likely to be performed during the project’s life.

The sessions were organized in close consultation and in the presence of members of the COs who

identified the youth in four districts. A youth

awareness session usually involved 30-40 youth

(male and female). The inclusion of females is a

necessary component of the youth awareness

sessions.

During Year 2, the PYWD project had conducted

24 community awareness sessions in which 4,770

individuals (3,736 youth & 1,034 community

members) participated. Gender ratio of youth

participants is shown in Figure 5. Feedback was

also collected from participants of awareness

sessions.

1.5. Community engagement events commemorating Pakistan’s Independence Day

To promote positive and constructive behaviors of youth in target districts, it is mandatory to expose

them to healthy activities like tree plantation and other national events. During Year 2 PYWD has

successfully conducted series of community events focusing youth & community members.

3,696

4,872

Female Male

Figure 4: Number of youth identified by PYWD project

1,905 1,831

Female Male

Figure 5: Youth engaged in awareness sessions by PYWD

project


Major events include International Youth Day, Event on Right to Vote, Pakistan’s Independence Day

and Green Pakistan Events. These events were arranged at PVTC training institutions and Old cricket

stadium keeping in view the convenience for

participants. Pictorial view of major events is shown

in Figure 7, 8 and 9.

During year 2, total 3,736 participants attended

these events, which reflects the momentum of

activities built up through youth participation,

alongside support of District Governments. Among

participants, female youth 1,905 (51%) turned out in

high numbers, as shown in Figure 6.

The spirit of the young girls and boys was worth

witnessing; for most of them, this was their first opportunity to express their feelings and learn positive

lessons from the speeches, motivational lectures, skits, tableaus and other cultural demonstrations.

The events were comprised of healthy activities like

sports and other cultural events focused primarily

on youth engagement, promoting positive

behaviors in each target districts. Mother’s Day,

Naat Competition, Skills Competition and other

events which helped young girls and boys along with

their parents and community members to feel more

integrated into the social fabric of society. They

also contributed towards positive branding of

USAID as a support mechanism for marginalized

groups in the area through the PYWD project. The

events were organized at training institutes and a

sports stadium, encouraging youth to participate in

higher numbers.

Figure 7. Principal VTI, Multan along with CoP, PYWD planting a

tree during Green Multan, Green Pakistan event

Figure 8 Participants of International Youth Day (left), Pakistan’s Independence Day (right)

Figure 6: Participants During Events

1,905 1,831

Female Male


To capitalize on these events, the Project invited key

guests from City District Governments, training

institutions, and relevant partners, who were very

supportive of these events. The trainees of the PYWD

training courses, were also given an opportunity to

showcase their talents by participating in stage theatre,

singing & speech competitions and comedy skits, which

generated positive enthusiasm among participants. These

events marked a great success in engaging youth in the

target districts and for constructively shaping their

attitudes.

1.6. Reflect Circle (RC) Group(s) formation and sessions

During year 2, the PYWD project initiated the implementation of small-scale Community

Development Projects to identify and address local issues using a participatory development method

known as Reflect Circle (RC) group approach. Through RC group approach, the community members

were able to collectively discuss & identify local problems, prioritize the urgent needs, and act

collectively to create local-level forum, develop local consensus-based proposals, and seek possible

avenues of support from government and PYWD funded community development schemes. By end

of Year 2, the project selected 22 COs in the four districts and formed RC groups with the inclusion

of community members, especially youth volunteers, in the group. The community engagement teams

facilitated the RC groups in the situational analysis by adopting various participatory rural appraisal

(PRA) tools including social mapping, diagramming, pairwise/preference ranking, and group discussions.

Overall, 44 sessions were held with 22 COs wherein community members successfully built consensus

on 22 priority community projects (12 Water Filtration Plant, 7 Solar Street Light, 3 Garbage Box).

Figure 10. Number of Community Projects by Type of Project and District

-

2

4

6

8

10

12

Multan Muzaffar Garh Lodhran Bahawalpur Total

3

1

5

3

12

3 3

1

-

7

- -

2

1

3

Water Filtration Plant Solar Street Light Garbage Box

Figures 9. Participants of Right to Vote Event


1.7. Exposure Visits of School Children to Training Institutes

In Pakistan, formal education does not cover and/or promote the importance of technical and

vocational education. Due to this, most school children are unaware of the potential opportunities in

technical and vocational education available after completing their basic schooling. To address this gap,

the project organized exposure visits of high school youth to different technical and vocational training

institutes to raise awareness about the importance of TVET in order to help the students make more

informed decisions on their career development. In Year 2, more than 778 students (425 Female and

353 Male) from different high schools visited the training institutes (Figures 11 and 12).

A detailed presentation was made by the management of the training institutes to the students,

explaining the types of skills that can be acquired, the scope of these skills, and the importance of

technical education. They also provided time for students to ask questions. After the presentation, the

students visited classrooms and workshops/labs to learn more. These exposure trips generated strong

student interest in these programs.

2) INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING

Over the years, various TVET sector studies have highlighted a staggering gap between the skills of

graduates from TVET institutes and the skills demanded by the market. This gap between supply and

demand points to substantive institutional capacity issues that need to be addressed to make training

providers more responsive to the market. To ensure demand-driven workforce development, the

PYWD project conducted a skills gap analysis, resulting in a TVET Skills Gap Analysis Report. Based

on the report’s findings, the project has extensively worked on building the capacity of TVET institutes

in areas including curricula revision, updating of machinery/ equipment, teacher training, career

counseling, and systems improvement.

2.1 Capacity Building of Training Institutes

The PYWD Project successfully continued its Institutional Capacity Building (ICB) program in Year 2.

ICB activities progressed during the year included: i) Retrofitting Class Rooms and Laboratories ii)

Training of Trainers iii) Curriculum Upgradation, and iv) Other Special Initiatives.

2.1.1 Retrofitting Class Rooms and Laboratories

A detailed capacity assessment/ gap analysis of 11 TEVTA institutes (6 females, 5 males) and 8 Punjab

Vocational Training Council (PVTC)-governed Vocational Training Institutes (VTIs) were completed,

Figure 11: Students During Exposure Visits

Figure 12: Group Picture During Exposure


followed by retrofitting of the classrooms and delivery of tools and equipment to the shortlisted TVET

institutes. The skilled trades included Computer Application, Computer Aided Designing (Auto CAD),

Electrician, Domestic Tailoring, Beautician, Machinist, Fashion Design, Motorcycle Mechanic, and

HVACR. This procurement was made after a stringent procurement process and by the end of

reporting year, 19 institutes had been upgraded with contemporary curricula-compliant technologies

for youth to have greater access to enhanced employment opportunities and institutes for better

service delivery.

2.1.2 Training of Trainers

During the reporting year, the project trained

a pool of 76 TVET staff in classroom

management, teaching methodologies,

leadership, team building and other life skills.

A 3-day training session on Team Building and

Leadership was attended by 30 PVTC staff

members including the Managing Director,

Managers and Principals. The session was

aimed at strengthening coordination and

communication among the training institutes

and secretariat. The project also conducted a

4-day training of trainers (ToT) to improve

the technical and pedagogical skills of 20 VTIs

staff in Clinical Assistant trade. The ToT

conducted for PVTC instructors, staff and

management was greatly appreciated and

regarded as a very productive by PVTC management.

2.1.3 Curriculum Upgradation

Continuing the curriculum reform support, curriculum for

Clinical Assistants was improved in coordination with the

PVTC by upgrading and piloting the clinical assistant course

along with all pertinent support so that the graduates are

equipped to secure employment opportunities in the

healthcare sector. This initiative was comprised of four

interventions including: i) Trade need assessment report; ii)

Upgradation of curriculum; iii) Training of Master Trainers

on upgraded curriculum; and, iv) Provision of equipment to

fulfill the needs of upgraded course. These interventions

were completed in Year 2, and PVTC has already piloted

the upgraded curriculum in Bahawalpur and Multan VTIs.

The project was executed in collaboration with the Nur

Center for Research and Policy (NCRP), a subsidiary

of Fatima Memorial Hospital, which provided technical

assistance for an in-depth assessment of the viability and skill

profiling of the clinical assistant trade (see Figure 13).

“The ToT session organized by PYWD project on

Team Building and Leadership was beyond our

expectations. It has given us the entire platform to

connect with one another through formal and

informal training sessions and activities. I adamantly

believe that it has built a sense of togetherness and

elevated team spirit, which will drastically improve

the performance of the institutions. The trainer was

extra ordinarily motivating and energetic which has

blown a new zeal and innovative thinking among our

staff. I would like to express our gratitude for

organizing such training program for us. “

Sajid Naseer, Managing Director, PVTC

Figure 13: PYWD project upgraded Clinical Assistant

Curriculum


2.1.4 Special Initiatives

The project also conducted an in-depth assessment of the TEVTA-governed service center in Multan

titled Pak-German Institute of Co-operative Agriculture (PGICA) for establishing a high one-roof

tunnel equipped with High Efficiency Irrigation system. Based on the assessment, specifications were

prepared and tender for service was published in the national newspapers. The vendor has been

identified for establishment of high roof tunnel and issuing of purchase order is in process. During

current year, two more interventions were undertaken under the special initiatives. These initiatives

include solarization of PVTC Multan and capacity building of 5 special education schools. Assessments

for both the interventions have been completed and ICB plans for special education schools and college

has been drafted for finalization and implementation.

2.2 Career Counseling Services & Placement

Over the life of project, 2,000 unemployed skilled youth from target districts, those who are not

benefited through PYWD project, will be provided career counselling support and at least 50% of

them will be placed in formal/non-formal jobs or provided self-employments support. To achieve this

target, project has created a database of unemployed graduates of TEVTA and PVTC through Institute

Placement Officers (IPOs) of TEVTA and Admission and Placement Officers (APOs) of PVTC. The

IPOs and APOs were trained by the project and engaged with CC Centers as mobile counselors for

the project.

2.2.1 Establishment Career Counselling Centers

During Year 2, PYWD project has successfully established and inaugurated Career Counseling (CC)

centers in 08 institutions. List of institutions is attached as Annex C.

Through project support, all 08 CC centers were renovated and equipped with ICT tools, furniture

and other necessary materials. The CC centers are operationalized and actively engaged to provide

employability support for TVET graduates whereas employability support include job search,

preparation for interviews, work readiness, and personalized counseling to opt wage-employment or

self-employment.

2.2.2 Career Counselling Services and Placement

In Year 2, the project through Career Counseling Centers, provided career counseling services to 807

TVET graduates (215 Female, 592 Male), these graduates were unemployed after completing training

from other TVET providers (not through PYWD support).

The project also successfully linked 226 unemployed TVET graduates (22 Female, 204 Male) with

employers for placements. District-wise summary of beneficiaries who received CC and Placements

support is shown in Figure 14.


Figure 14. Number of beneficiaries who received Career Counseling and Placements support

2.2.3 DEVELOPMENT OF MOBILE APPLICATION

The Project envisages to modernize and, in the pursuit, plans to integrate mobile app technology into

the sphere of counseling services and placement. Through this App, the project aims to connect the

unemployed youth to the larger job market by connecting the counseling centers with national web

portal. Preliminary meetings were held with NAVTCC and TEVTA Punjab to discuss the development,

viability and sustainability of mobiles App. PYWD in collaboration with NAVTCC, has conceptualized

the overall architecture of Mobile Application and possible integration with NAVTCC national job

portal.

A survey was designed and conducted with 642 TVET trainees (268 female, 374 male) to gauge the

smart phone usage. The survey findings revealed that more than 50% respondents (youth) have smart

phones and are dexterous in its functions and effortlessly use them for downloading apps, internet and

social media. Survey results are shown below (Figure 15).

Figure 15. Mobile Phone Usage Survey Results

135

4684

16

284

90 8952

107

2

7

21

2

80

18

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

CareerCounseling

Placement CareerCounseling



Placement

Bahawalpur Lodhran Multan Muzaffargarh

Male Female

74%

58%

74%

32%

87%

65%

60%

67%

26%

42%

26%

68%

13%

35%

40%

33%

Do you have your own mobile phone?

Do you use android/smart mobile phone?

Has your family android/smart moblile phone?

Do you share mobile phone with others?

Can you send and receive SMS on the mobile phone?

Do you know to operate the internet on your mobile phone?

Do you know that how to download and use mobile application?

Do you know that a job can be find with the help of mobile

application?

Yes No


Furthermore, project has initiated procurement process to acquire the services of a firm for the

mobile app development. Proposals are received and will be evaluated during first quarter if Year 3.

2.2.4 Capacity Building of the Career Counseling Staff

In order to provide continued career counselling services to the skilled unemployed youth in Southern

Punjab, the project has trained and engaged 43 TI staff members (22 Male, 21 Female) in Year 2, detail

summary is shown in Figure 16. The trained Institute Placement Officers (IPOs) are conducting

regular training sessions at established CC centers to provide employability support for unemployed

youth.

Training Title Date Venue Participants

Male Female Total

Training on Career Counselling

(for Instructors of PVTC)

March 30,

2018

Grand

Ambassador

Hotel, Islamabad

15 12 27

Training on Career Counselling

(for IPO’s of TEVTA)

April 23-

25, 2018

Hospitality Inn

Hotel, Lahore 7 9 16

Figure 16. Summary of TVTC and TVET Staff Training

3) ACCESS TO WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING

3.1. TRAINING AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

The PYWD Project resonates with the DO3 of USAID Pakistan’s mission strategic framework of

‘Stabilization’. The project’s outcomes focus on expanding economic opportunities for the

Disadvantaged/underserved groups and providing them sustainable livelihood. The PYWD team

successfully placed trainees for skills development training programs in the project’s partner training

providers, including the Technical and Vocational Education Training Authority (TEVTA), the Punjab

Vocational Training Council (PVTC) and Private Institutes. Youth are enrolled in demand-driven

trades, with a high ratio of female trainees. The merit-based selection criterion along with strict

adherence to level of marginalization was employed in final selection of youth beneficiaries for training

programs.

Figure 17: Training of Trainers’ on Career Counseling Services


At the end of Year 2, the project had successfully trained 4,942 youth which was more than planned

target of 4,700. The number of enrolled and retained trainees remained above the overall planned

targets. The dropout remains low (i.e. 7%) as shown in Figure 18 below:

Figure 18: Training provider wise enrolled and retained trainees as of end of Year 2.

Year

Training

Provider

Target

Identified

Interviewed

Enrolled

Retained (as of

date)

Year-

I

TEVTA 200 378 320 253 220

PVTC 850 1,455 1,270 1,014 899

Private Institutes 300 965 409 375 375

Industrial Home 100 170 154 134 112

Total 1,450 2,968 2,153 1,776 1,606

Year-

II

TEVTA 800 1285 1274 1010 986

PVTC 350 395 377 354 354

Private Institutes 1000 896 896 896 896

PSDF 1100 1224 1224 1220 1100

Total 3,250 3,800 3,771 3,480 3,336

Grand Total 4,700 6,768 5,924 5,256 4,942

The project trained youth under institutional training in different sectors applicable in Pakistan. The

highest number of trainees were enrolled in courses for the garment industry and the lowest number

in courses for the agricultural sector. Learning from the experiences and demanded trades, the project

will initiate training in hospitality, agriculture, and renewable energy in the coming year. The sector

wise information of the enrolled trainees is shown in Figure 19.

13%

17%

5%

34%

8%

1%

22%

Manufacturing Cottage Industry Agriculture

Garment Industry Information Technology Construction Industry

Service Sector

Figure 19: Sector wise enrollment in Institutional Training-wise

PYWD Project is geared towards producing a well-trained and empowered youth from the grassroots

level that encompasses on-the job, institutional and soft skills training supplemented with post-training

support to the beneficiaries in self and wage employment.


Cognizant of the stakeholders and their interventions in the skill development sector, the PYWD

project strictly adheres to the principles of quality assurance. Before final enrollment, the educational

certificates of applicants from relevant trades were verified from the websites of relevant regulatory

boards. The project also ensured overall quality of instructional materials and training offered in

institutional training.

The major accomplishments of the PYWD Project in training and human development during Year 2

are given in detail in sub-sections below.

3.1.1. Skills Competition at TEVTA Institutes

In Year 2, the PYWD Project’s Training and Human Development Department conducted two events

on skills-based competitions in Bahawalpur and Multan districts. The trainees were excited, showed

passion and enthusiasm. The brief details of the events are detailed below (See Figure 20):

GTTI, Bahawalpur

A one-day competency-based skills

competition was held at GTTI, Bahawalpur on

October 18, 2017. Eight (8) male trainees in

Electrician Trade attended the skill

competition. The event was conducted to

provide opportunity to the youth to prove

their abilities i.e. skills, knowledge,

productivity and creativity. The participants

were assigned with the task of “Kitchen

Installment” and the certificates were

distributed to the winners.

GCTW, Qasimpur, Multan

As part of enhanced engagement of enrolled

trainees, a one-day skills competition was held at

GCTW, Qasimpur, and Multan on October 20,

2017, which was attended by eight (8) female

trainees in trade Garment Industry from different

TEVTA’s institutes. The female trainees were

assigned the task to do the cutting and stitching of

an A-line frock with specific dimensions. The

trainees actively participated in the competition and

the certificates were distributed to the winners

3.1.2 Enrollment of selected youth

Enrollment timelines have been aligned with the annual schedule of both TEVTA and PVTC for short-

term courses (3 to 6 months). Training institutes are responsible for imparting technical skills as per

the training curricula, trainee’s attendance, skill competency assessments, overall performance, etc.

with regular reporting to the PYWD Project as per a pre-agreed frequency.

In Year 2, the project intensified training and placement partnerships with the private sector, largely

through the training providers and employers to ensure a contribution towards the project’s goal of

increased economic opportunities for youth. The yearly progress was substantial in regard to the

completed enrollment rate, keeping in mind the inherent project’s operational delays as highlighted in

the Background section above. The response from youth were also overwhelmingly positive, especially

from enrolled women, who recognized the opportunity as life-changing.

Figure 20: Skills Competition held at Project Districts

Entrepreneurship Training in progress


The project has ensured gender equity in all training and Industrial Homes and PSDF training were

specifically designed for female

youth. So far, the project has

successfully enrolled 4,942 trainees

(59% female and 41% male) as part

of its institutional training through

the district-based institutes of

TEVTA, PVTC and private

institutes in the four focus districts.

The gender-wise breakdown of

enrollments of trainees at different

Institutes is presented in Figure

21.

Despites of the challenges faced,

the PYWD project has retained an

overall higher percentage (93%) of

trainees in classes. At the end of Year 2, the number of trainees

enrolled was above the targets, reflecting the project’s positive

approach and appropriate forecasting. Figure 22 reflects the

ratio of dropout and retention.

3.1.3. Final Examination of PYWD Trainees in Public & Private

Institutions

The PYWD Project follows the prevailing national standards regarding ongoing training programs at

TEVTA, PVTC, and IRM. As per the Punjab Trade Testing Board (TTB) criteria, trainees having a

minimum of 70% attendance during the course are eligible to sit for their exams; furthermore, they

have to pass the exam and complete the course module. Trainees who will adhere to these criteria

are awarded with TTB’s recognized certificates. In Year 2, several trainees who enrolled from April

2017 to Jan 2018 in TVET institutions qualified for and took the exams. Overall, 2,066 regular trainees

sat for the exams and 1,995 (97%) passed. Figure 23 depicts the number of trainees passed

examination and Figure 24 provides the percentage of trainees who passed.

TEVTA-I, 95%

TEVTA-II, 98%

PVTC-I, 98%

PVTC-II, 97%

Sanatzar-I,

96%

Private Institutes, 94%

Figure 21: Training Provider wise status of trainees completed course work in Institutional Training

Figure 24: Institute wise data of pass out trainees

Figure 23: Number of Trainees passed in Exams

0

200

400

600

800

1000

TEV

TA

PV

TC

Pri

vate

Inst

itute

s

Entr

eprn

urs

hip

trai

nin

g

Indust

rial

Hom

es

PSD

F

631 679

256 160 112

1100

575 574

344 511

Female Male

7%

93%

Dropout Retention

Figure 22: Comparison of Retention & Dropouts in

Institutional Trainings


3.1.4. Institutional Training with TEVTA & PVTC

As part of the enrollments with TEVTA Batch 3, the PYWD project initiated 18 classes in 17 institutes

of TEVTA and enrolled 450 trainees in 8 demand-

driven trades as shown in Figure 25. These 6-

months courses started in April 2018. The demand

driven trades include Beautician, Auto-Electrician,

Domestic Tailoring, Fashion Design, ‘Kashigiri’ (Blue

Pottery), Pest Manager, Auto-Mechanic, and Heating

Ventilation & Air-Condition (HVAC) Repair.

Additionally, in July 2018, the project enrolled 250

youth at 9 PVTC institutes in the following trades:

Clinical Assistant, RAC, Dress Making, Beautician,

Fashion Designing and Machine Embroidery. The

PVTC courses will be completed by end of Dec 2018.

Figure 26 depicts the trainees’ retention rate (100%) for the ongoing batches in TEVTA-III & PVTC-

III, whereas summary of enrollment in PVT III and TEVTA II are show in Figure 27.

3.1.5 IRM’s Demand-Driven Training Program

The project introduced objective-based

self-employment training with Private

Institutes through its partner IRM in Year

2. Potential youth were provided with 3-

month apprenticeship training, leading to

creation of market linkages with local

vendors. Upon the completion of

training, the project will provide trade-

specific toolkits to pass-outs, which

enable them avail workorders. The

courses are completed and as of year 2,

225 trainees were trained. Trade-wise

summary is shown in Figure 28.

Figure 25: Demand driven Trades of TEVTA

0

100

200

300

400

PVTC III TVTA III

175

35075

100

Female Male

Figure 27. PVTC & TEVTA Trainees by Gender Figure 26: Trainees’ retention as of date

450

250

450

250

T E V T A - I I I P V T C - I I I

Enrolled Retained

Hand Embroidery

Female, 23 Bridal Making

Female, 31

Khussa Making

Female, 26

Driving Male, 52Commercial Tailoring Female,

25

Chunnri Making Female, 22

Chester Making

Female, 25

Day Care Attendant

Female, 22

Fig 28: Youth trained by Trades


The project supported rural men and women through skills development in specific demand-driven

trades. The model supports self-employment of trained youth by linking them with businesses in

target districts.

These toolkits help the trainees respond to work orders (through business groups’ formation) and

subsequently to have a sustainable source of income. The trades include, Bridal make-up, Hand

Embroidery, Khussa making, Driving, Day care attendant, and Chunri making. Eight more training

centers are being operationalized in the field where the enrollment of nearly 400 young people will be

initiated for objective based skills training program in Year 3. IRM designed these courses as per the

customized requirements of PYWD project.

3.1.6 Entrepreneurship Training

The project, with the support of partner IRM,

designed a 5-day entrepreneurship-training module

for prospective youth who have the skills but lack

an orientation to entrepreneurship. This is a

mandatory training program for all youth selected

for the project’s microfinance loan program.

Figure 30: Youth Entrepreneurship-training

Figure 29: Artisans from Basti Jan Muhammad in Bahawalpur during hand embroidery class


In Year 2, the project trained 671 young people

including 160 females and 511 males in

entrepreneurial skills (Figure 31). In collaboration

with Akhuwat Microfinance, the project then

disbursed loans to those who received this training,

so they can materialize the business plans

developed. The major business ventures proposed

include a small embroidery unit, a grocery shop, a

beauty parlor, a stitching unit, and an electronics

repair shop.

3.1.7 Microfinance Loans

The project, during the current year, in collaboration with Akhuwat (PYWD project’s partner

organization for microfinance), disbursed loans worth USD. 215,447; half of this amount (USD.

107,724) was contributed by the PYWD project, to a pool of 590 (153 females and 437 males)

graduates of the Enterprise Development Training discussed above. The project disbursed an average

loan of around USD. 365 per beneficiary. Figure 32 shows the breakdown.

# District Male Female Total Amount

(PKR)

Amount

(USD)

1 Multan 158 47 205 10,165,000

91,825

2 Muzaffargarh 104 21 125 5,370,000 48,509

3 Bahawalpur 107 56 163 5,280,000 47,696

4 Lodhran 68 29 97 3,035,000 27,416

Total 437 153 590 23,850,000 215,447

Average loan size 40,424 365

PYWD Project Share

11,925,000

107,724

3.1.8. Enrollment with TEVTA – Soft Skills Training

The PYWD project in coordination with TEVTA developed contents / standards for “Soft Skills

Training Modules” to enhance the competitiveness of trained youth in Punjab. The training duration is

1 month and consists of:

• Literacy including Functional English, numeracy and general knowledge

• Basic IT including social media

• Occupational Safety, Health and Environment

• Life Skills

o Communication Skills (social, visual, workplace, one-on-one/customer service,

interview)

o Leadership (Organizing & motivating others, problem solving, team building)

050

100150200250

133 112 69

19723 57

30

50

Male Female

Figure 31: Entrepreneurship Trainees by Districts &

Gender


Figure 32: Cumulative District Wise Disbursement of Micro Finance Loan


Figure 33: Gender-wise soft skills training completed at PYWD districts


o Workplace Conduct (Workplace behavior, attitudes and ethics, applying for jobs,

balancing work and social life, time management, workers’ rights, employer/employee

responsibility etc.)

o Financial matters pertaining to job (ATMs, Cheques, financial institutions etc.)

During Year 2, 171 trainees were trained in soft skills and following an examination, a pool of 162

trained youth (121 men & 41 women) are now ready to meet the industry demand. Figure 33 depicts

the soft skills training obtained by youth in the intervention districts.

3.1.9 Innovative Program with PSDF – Skills for Market Linkages

In Year 2, the PYWD Project forged a partnership with the Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF)

for an innovative 12-month training leading to self-employment program for women entitled “Skills

for Market Linkages”. The program aims to increase the income of marginalized girls/women, including

those from disadvantaged socio- economic background in PYWD project’s four districts. Through this

initiative, the project has established facilitation centers in all four-focus districts through PSDF service

providers and enrolled 1,100 marginalized girls/women in these facilitation centers. The project is also

helping with market linkages to buyers and providing business toolkits. Figure 34 shows the district-

wide enrollment of trainees.

487

203

206

204

Multan Muzaffargarh Bahawalpur Lodhran

Figure 34: Status of enrollment in PSDF at Project Intervention districts


MULTAN

MUZAFFARGARH

LODHRAN

BAHAWALPUR

43

28

25

25

41

Male Female


3.1.10 USAID-PYWD First Graduation Ceremony at Multan

In Year 2, the PYWD project organized its first graduation

ceremony on November 4, 2017 at the Government College of

Technology for Women, Multan. The purpose of this event was to

commemorate the success of the USAID-funded PYWD project-

trained first batch of skilled youth. A total of 321 youth completed

their six-month training in different market-driven trades in

collaboration with TEVTA and District Industrial Homes enabling

them to kick-start self-employment opportunities for better

incomes and improved livelihoods. At the event, the United States

Consul General Punjab Ms. Elizabeth Kennedy Trudeau, USAID

Provincial Director Le Swanson, and PYWD Chief of Party Qaisar

Nadeem awarded toolkits and certificates to the graduates (see

Figures 35). During the graduation ceremony, Trudeau

congratulated the graduated trainees of PYWD project and

commended their dedication and wish them successes. She was

confident that the trained youth will be contributing to the

sustainable livelihood of their families and communities.

The ceremony was also attended by TEVTA representatives including General Manager Operations

of Brigadier Muhammad Maqsood, Zonal Manager Qazi Muhammad Asad, Vice President Multan

Chamber of Commerce, Romana Tanveer, community members, PYWD project staff and local print

and electronic media.

The toolkits distribution by the project to graduates of different training courses is detailed below.

Figure: 36: Trade wise Toolkit Distribution List

Institution Location Trade Count

Govt Technical Training

institute

One Unit Chowk,

Bahawalpur

Electrician 19

Govt Vocational Training

institute

Bahawalpur (Yazman) Domestic

Tailoring

25


institute

Main Multan Road, Near

Commerce College,

Lodhran

Electrician 21


institute

Lodhran (Hati mutton Mull) Domestic

Tailoring

27

Industrial Home Turkish Colony

Muzaffargarh

Machine

Embroidery

19


Muzaffargarh

Domestic

Tailoring

40


Muzaffargarh

Beautician 49


Institute (Boys)

Tehsil Jatoi, District

Muzaffargarh

Electrician 25

Figure 35: United States Consul General Punjab, Ms.

Elizabeth Kennedy Trudeau talking to the project

beneficiaries


Institution Location Trade Count


Institute (Women)

District Muzaffargarh Domestic

Tailoring

48


Institute (Boys)

Chowk Kumharan Wala,

District Multan

Electrician 24


Institute (Women)

Qasim Pur Colony District

Multan

Domestic

Tailoring

24


institute

Main Multan Road, Near

Commerce College,

Lodhran

Solar Panel

Technician

21

Total 342

Figure 37. USAID Deputy Director, Clay Epperson and CoP PYWD Project, Nadeem Qaisar distributed tool kits among graduates on

completion of their six-month training


3.1.11. Stakeholder Engagement Meetings

To apprise stakeholders about PYWD interventions, the project convened several engagement

meetings. The following figure (Figure 38) presents stakeholders engaged in Year 2

Figure 38: Important Stakeholders Collaborated with in Year 2

Punjab Vocational Training Council

(PVTC)

Manager (Research & Development), PVTC,

Mr. Shafqat-ur-Rehman apprised the on-going

training of PYWD executed at PVTC

institutes and agreed to extend his support

for future training.

Punjab Trade Testing Board (PTTB),

Lahore

Chairperson PTTB, Ms. Nabeela Saeed Kazmi

extended her full cooperation for timely

assessment and certifications of PYWD pass-

outs.

Punjab Technical Education & Vocational

Training Authority (TEVTA)

General Manager (Operations) Mr. Aamir Aziz

shared the demand for TEVTA-Batch-III and

assured his full cooperation to PYWD

intervention for Batch-IV, which will be

commencing, from November 2018.

District Administration, Muzaffargarh

Deputy Commissioner Muzaffargarh, Mr. Saif

Anwar Jappa appreciated the efforts of PYWD

project. PYWD has contributed in enhancing

the institutional capacity building of Industrial

Home, Turkish Colony, Muzaffargarh on

request of Deputy Commissioner.

3.1.12. TVET sector Skills Gap Analysis Report

Recognizing the significance of demand-driven training for accomplishing

the project results, the PYWD Project conducted a skills gap analysis to

identify and prioritize the TVET needs in the project’s geographic areas

while also forging stronger linkages between training institutes,

employers, and communities. This report focused on market driven

trades, placement opportunities, and proper training avenues available in

the districts. As per findings of the report, the project observed large

demands in garments/textiles, local crafts, food & beverages, packaging,

hospitality, tourism, customer services, agriculture and livestock sector.

The project has shared the final report with USAID and other

stakeholders and steps to fill these gaps have been identified and started.

Figure 39: TVET sector Skills

Gap Analysis Report


3.2. Enrollments In On-The-Job Training With Industries Followed By Placements

The PYWD project uses various models to ensure training and placement of youth in sustainable

employment. On-the-Job (OTJ) training is being conducted by selected industry partners, who not

only ensure demand-driven training but also provide permanent placement of the trained youth in

their factories and/ or with their partners.

3.2.1 Apprenticeship and Placement of Youth

During the reporting year, 1,744 people (1,512 males and 232 females) were enrolled for OTJ training/

apprenticeships followed by job placements. The highest number of trainee enrolment was in Multan

followed by Muzaffargarh, Bahawalpur, and Lodhran.

3.2.2 Partnerships for Placements

During the reported year, several employer linkages and private sector partnerships were created to

further targeted districts. These included:

- MOU signing with Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry in November 2017

- Seminar on Business Partnerships organized in collaboration with Multan Chamber of

Commerce and Industry (MCCI) at MCCI premises in November 2017

Figure 42: Youth Placed on Job through PYWD project

Figure 40: PYWD project trained beneficiary earning income after On Job training in Photography


- Introduction to number of big group of industries such as Mahmood Group, Habib Group,

Maqbool Group, Husnain Group, Ahmad Hassan Textile Mills, and Colony Textile Mills, etc.

- Linkages were developed with 178 formal and informal employers for exploring the avenues

of job placement, apprenticeship and on-the-job training opportunities for youth trained under

PYWD project.

- Apprenticeship and Placement Agreements signed with 66employers/industry for on the job

apprenticeship program

- Appreciation letters were received from Khawaja Tanneries and Umer Enterprises

Figure 41. COTHM, Ahmad Shafiq and CoP USAID-PYWD Project, Qaisar Nadeem exchanging documents at MoU

signing. USAID/Pakistan Mission Director, Jerry Bisson (center) was also present at the event

Figure 42. USAID-PYWD Project and the Allied Solar Private Limited signed a memorandum of understanding to provide

self-employment opportunities to the graduating students in solar panel installation


Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL)

Monitoring and Evaluation is central to PYWD project’s quality enhancement through incorporating

generated analysis and learning outcomes as part of reprogramming for implementation of activities.

It is enabling management in provision of a permanent feedback to assess project’s direction towards

the intended results; the mechanism embedded as part of the overall program planning and delivery

cycles. The PYWD project adopted a participatory approach, thereby involving key stakeholders in

implementing the activities of the Annual Work Plan. Likewise, a participatory M&E approach was

being adopted by PYWD to assist the management in timely decision-making and course correction.

The PYWD project team understands that monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of program outputs and

outcomes is critical to ensure that the program reaches its goals and targets. The M&E team is involved

in measuring short and long-term impacts of project interventions to ensure that the project

beneficiaries and activities are accurately recorded, traced, and reported, causal relationships between

the activities and the outcomes are identified and reported, data is disaggregated with respect to age,

gender, location, trade etc. and post-training outcomes of trained youth are evaluated (i.e., self-

employed or job placements). The following methods were utilized by the M&E team to assess the

short-term results:

Field Monitoring: As part of the program design, four M&E Field Coordinators conducted periodic

monitoring visits to all projects sites and supported program team for program data collection and

updating of data on Management Information System (MIS). Under the guidance from M&E unit from

head office, they have established a robust monitoring mechanism which will ensure that the program

activities are aligned and on track. In upcoming quarters, the more focus will be on monitoring

programmatic interventions, collection of program data, monthly progress reviews and tracking of

data to remove inefficiencies.

Spot Evaluations: The M&E team periodically conducted spot evaluations to assess the change in

behavior of youth after participation community support events and sessions.

Pre-Assessment: The M&E team periodically conducted Pre-Assessment of trainees to assess the

change to mark their level of responsiveness towards positive attitudes and confident on their roles

and analysis has rightly pointed out the areas related to youth on which focused efforts will be required.

Post-Assessment: A comprehensive exercise of post-assessment of completed training has been

conducted. The purpose of the assessment is to collect data from all enrolled trainees about their

feedback on how effective and efficient role they will play after the training. Moreover, to measure the

outcome of the understanding, knowledge and skills in the trades they were enrolled in.

The achieved results to date perceptibly contribute towards the USAID Mission’s Development

Objective (DO) of “increased stability in focus districts.” The IR/outcome-specific achievements during

the current year are provided below.


4.1: IR-I: INCREASED ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH

The PYWD project made substantial strides in the Year 2 towards realizing the result of “increased

economic opportunities for youth,” which, in turn, strengthened stability and resilience among project

beneficiaries and the community at large. Overall youth enrolments in the project crossed the 90%

milestone against the LOP target. The project

also developed partnerships for the remaining

10%. During Year 2, the project placed 2,039

youth in permanent jobs (wage employment) and

342 youth in self-employment (Figure 43).

To accomplish the job placements for youth, the

project has collaborated with 112 employers who

have expressed their willingness for partnerships

as well as for resource leveraging. The placed

beneficiaries, having no baseline income, have

gained an increased sense of purpose in life;

receive an average monthly income of PKR.

10,000 ($90); and have shown positive and

productive behavior change (see some of the testimonials within Outcome-II). Figure 44 provides a

breakdown of project beneficiary placements for wage employment by sector and Figure 45 shows

the number of jobs and average income per month in agriculture and Services sector while Figure 46

shows jobs and average income per month in manufacturing sector.

Figure 44: Sector-wise job placements

0

139

85

224

172

1065

578

1815

172

1204

663

2039

-400 100 600 1100 1600 2100

AGRICULTURE

MANUFACTURING

SERVICES

Grand Total

Grand Total Male female

Figure 43: Employment status of project youth

Placements

Figure

I: Comparative analysis of

Placements

0200400600800

100012001400160018002000

Wage

Employment

Self

Employment

2039

342


Figure 45. Sector-wise average monthly income earned by beneficiaries (Agriculture and Services)

Figure 46: Sector-wise average monthly income earned by project youth in Manufacturing Sector

4.2: IR-II: Socially constructive attitudes and beliefs among youth & their

communities enhanced

In Year 2, the PYWD Project continued to engage key community leaders, stakeholders, female and

male youth, and their families in the targeted communities to expand participation in the project’s

interventions and utilize their potential in building the youth workforce. The project follows a systemic

identification process to survey and select youth from marginalized groups for inclusion in the project.

Furthermore, the project links them to technical training, job placement, career counselling/job

seeking, apprenticeship, and entrepreneurship opportunities.

The purpose of these activities, beyond economic gains, is to shift their social attitudes towards

positive avenues and support marginalized youth’s integration within the society; seeing themselves as

progressive, forward-looking and active members of society. While the project realizes that

- 5,000 10,000

No of Youth on Jobs

Average of Monthly

Income(PKR)

172

10800($98)

Agriculture

- 10,000 20,000

SERVICES

Hospitality

Printing, Graphics…

Sales

663

364

215

84

10857($9

8)

12625($1

14)

9273($84)

12500($1

13)Services

Average of Monthly Income(PKR)

- 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000

MANUFACTURING

Chemicals

Gems & Jewellery

Leather and Footware

Light Engeenering

Marble & GRaniteFinishing

Paper & Paper board article

Sheet Metal Sector

Textile & Garments

Wood Works

1,204

115

25

36

342

7

6

18

645

10

12,284($111)

13,333($121)

10,000($90)

15000($136)

12,333($112)

9000($81)

14000($127)

10,000($90)

12,821($116)

10,000($90)

Manufacturing

Average of Monthly Income(PKR) No of Youth on Jobs


ascertaining a permanent change/shift in social attitudes of the youth will require a sustained, long-

term and continuous programmatic interface with the beneficiaries, the project has already seen

several short-run qualitative positive indicators reflected in the pre- and post-training assessment

comparison based on the survey feedback conducted through the beneficiaries. At the time of pre-

test, 947 enrolled trainees recorded their responses against the four statements/questions regarding

their perception of existing levels of positivity and self-efficacy. Likewise, 898 participants responded

during the post-training assessment data analysis. The participants were asked to rate their responses

on a scale from 5 to 1, whereas, 5 depicts “substantial” and 1 refer as “None”.

Figure 47: Pre- & Post Assessment Trend

The analysis of pre- and post-test responses data shows variations among the perception of youth.

Figure 47 above shows a very positive trend in how trainees perceived their role in the society

indicating a clear impact of the program interventions. Prior to intervention, most of the trainees 413

(44%) answered “1 = None” i.e., and very few 13 (1%) fell under the “4 = to a great extent” or “5 =

substantial”. While after the completion of their institutional training and participation in community

engagement activities, majority trainees 577 (64%) marked “5 = substantial”, signifying that they now

felt more socially empowered and eager to play an active role in the society. The analysis also reflects

that at the pre-test level, most of the responses fall under the lower three scales i.e., 1 to 3, which

were transformed as a result of project intervention with marginalized youth and the majority of

responses fall to the top two levels “4 or 5” during the post analysis.

These youth engagement events provide recreational opportunities for youth, which include distinct

themes for awareness raising including, celebration of international days related to women and youth,

Naat competitions during Muslims holy months, sports events, skills competitions, commemoration

of national days etc. These activities contribute to Outcome/IR II through building the capacity of

youth for constructive thinking and supporting them to adopt positive attitudes. The project “spot

evaluations” based on the survey feedback received from the participants of these events. The project

collected data from 108 participants (81 female and 27 male) through a questionnaire. Figure 48

provides the key findings on the opinions of youth participants at each of the events, as they shared

through the survey.

413

360

161

11 20 1 34

286

577

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

1 2 3 4 5

#O

F R

ES

PO

ND

EN

TS

(A

VE

RA

GE

FR

EQ

UE

NC

IES

AG

AIN

ST

F

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R Q

UE

ST

ION

S)

Pre Post


Figure 48: Participants response on youth engagement events

Quarterly Work Plan: The quarterly work plan was shared with the program teams comprising

of all major activities and targets to be achieved in the quarter. Continuous follow up was done to

ensure that the targets for current quarter are met. The progress against Annual Work Plan and

Sub-IR/Output level Performance Indicators is attached as Annex A and Annex B, respectively.

Approval of Annual Work Plan and MEL Plan

The PYWD project M&E team conducted detailed in-house deliberations with program teams to set

the quarterly and yearly targets against all the Year 3 planned activities. The work plan development

process for all components has involved extensive consultations with counterparts. These

consultations concluded with closing meetings/discussions and follow-on sessions with partners and

USAID. This helped in finalizing Annual Work Plan and subsequently revised MEL plan having clear

linkage with USAID’s DO-3 Results Framework. The Revised MEL plan and Annual Work Plan of Year

3 were subsequently approved by USAID.

4.3 Management Information System (MIS)

A comprehensive Management Information System (MIS) final version has been developed and

implemented to maintain the data of all trainees and to track and measure their progress in terms of

employment/income increase, along with other relevant modules covering the Institutional Capacity

Building, Placements and M&E data. MIS traditional graphical dashboard has been changed to drill down

dashboard to get a bird-eye-view of project performance. New dashboard possesses following features

to accommodate its user to get a pin point information. The following progress has been achieved

during Year 2:

• Registered community organization.

• Count of identified youth for training.

• Count of enrolled youth for training.

• Youth enrollment count based on district, tehsil and union councils.

• Youth count enrolled in different trades.

• Gender count based on district, tehsil and union councils.

• Youth count based on training providers.

• Youth count based on their age.

• Youth count and their qualification.

• Youth count and their family size as per defined range.

98%

100%

90%

100%

100%

63%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Event helpful in contributing towards positive attitudes

Event effective in enhancing awareness

Attended such event for the first time

Male Female


Beside this dashboard has enhanced query-based reporting, tracking of trained youth, user-specific

dashboards and other specialized features. In Year 2, one new module was developed for tracking

purpose which will assist the project to evaluate training impacts on youth and their lives.

4.4 Collaborating, Learning and Adaptation (CLA)

The project’s overall approach is placing strong emphasis on Collaborating, Learning and Adaptation

(CLA) as an effective strategy during all phases of the project: design, implementation and monitoring

and evaluation. Data is being collated rapidly and shared with program staff, implementing partners,

local governments and other stakeholders to foster collaborative design intervention strategies and

incorporation of real-time feedback into the work plan. The entire PYWD project team is involved in

a rapid learning curve as we scale up our activities in the second year of project implementation.

The intent behind PYWD project’s CLA approach is to ensure that progress towards ‘Development

Objective (DO)’ is guided by analysis of a wide variety of information sources and knowledge:

monitoring and evaluation (M&E) data, innovative models, new learning that brings to light new best

practices, collected observations, strategic collaborations, and so on. It is helping ensure that the causal

pathway to desired outcomes is continuously assessed and adjusted to yield the most effective course

of action. Therefore, the project is ensuring that M&E information flows two ways using feedback

loops and monitoring of project activities. Along with efforts to identify lessons learned, corresponding

training is provided to empower the field teams in putting learning into practice. The M&E team trains

field teams and ensures they understand the intent behind all data collection tools, templates and

forms. The following key learning outcomes from the two years of implementation have been

incorporated within the project’s programmatic cycle:

- Training relevance, quality, and job placement require identification of trades for training that

belong to sectors of the economy with employment growth potential or significant/growing

share in GDP. To do so, the project has completed a TVET Skills Gap Analysis Report for the

focused four districts and identified the local market’s needs.

- An important lesson learnt from past two years is that the workplace-based training is more

successful at producing graduates with demanded skills and a greater chance at long-term

employability. The project has actively promoted work-place-based training programs,

including apprenticeships and on-the-job OTJ training and will continue to do so in Year 3.

- In comparison to stipend disbursements to enrolled students through the built-in manual

process of training institutes, the PYWD project introduced CoC method for the electronic

release of stipends to project beneficiaries. It has proved to be an innovative technology-based

tool for marginalized youth’s civic awareness and financial inclusion, with an added advantage

of increased transparency in the process.

- To ascertain the level of marginalization of identified youth, the project continued the

community engagement for identification of marginalized youth through COs and other

stakeholders. The Proxy Means Testing (PMT) based scorecard of BISP (score range from 0-

100) was utilized for selection of youth which is a verifiable method for assessing household’s

living standards.


- The project through its REFLECT circle groups engaged CO, community members and youth

volunteers supported the entire REFLECT approach to identify the Community Development

schemes. After identification of schemes, the most important projects were prioritized for

implementation based on the consensus of the RC.

- The PYWD project is deploying a documented “Pre and Post Test’’ using a set of questions

related to a trade to assess the effectiveness of the training.

- The project continued its strategy to select in advance the Union Councils for community

mobilization activities, in the surroundings of training institutes and available employment

opportunities. This supported the project in having a readily available community base to tap

effectively for the planned enrollments and field-based activities focused on developing positive

social attitudes.

Downward accountability to communities is also essential for CLA. The project is adopting a

participatory learning approach, having a built-in mechanism of enabling communities to participate in

providing feedback on project interventions. This enables PYWD project to fine-tune its programming

through adaptive management and address some issues that were not thought through during the

project design phase and even during initial implementation. It also offers the opportunity to review

project strategy and adapt for meeting both community needs and donor deliverables in a more efficient

manner.

The project has integrated collaboration and coordination in all project activities to accomplish project’s

intermediate results/outcomes. Reliance on strong practices around collaborating and sharing

knowledge, and around pausing to review, reflect, learn and adapt are critical to this process. To

strengthen the relations and to realize productive outcomes, the project is conducting periodic

discussions through meetings with stakeholders; organizing and participating in coordination sessions

and workshops. The activity will be carried forward in Year 3 with an objective to optimize synergies

and evade overlapping actions.

The PYWD Project has been drawing on the experiences of its implementing partners (IP), namely the

Punjab Vocational Training Council (PVTC), Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority

(TEVTA) Punjab, Social Welfare Department, Akhuwat, Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF) and

the Punjab Trade Testing Board (TTB). It will continue to co-opt the IPs through its Year 3 work plan

activities that have been structured to work closely with provincial workforce development entities

and in coordination with other youth related programs/departments, such as GIZ, Industries,

Commerce & Investment Department, Government of Punjab and Benazir Income Support Program

(BISP). Lastly, the project identified emerging sectors and trades having employability potential in project

districts, sorted physical presence of public training Institutes in identified innovative trades, sought

outreach to private sector training providers, collaborated with industrial hubs in Multan & Bahawalpur

and other informal sector in the focus districts for an effective workforce development.

Problems encountered and proposed solutions

During the reporting period, PYWD Project team faced several challenges. However, the team’s

commitment along with overwhelmingly positive support of USAID helped transform most of the

challenges into opportunities for the project. On the operational front, the biggest one being the


vetting process of USAID that is time consuming and often results in slower progress in the

achievement of the project targets. Activities were planned keeping in view the timelines of vetting

process, and related requirements.

The following table reflects the program-related key problems encountered during the year and

proposed solutions employed by PYWD project:

Challenges Proposed Solutions

The revised model of cash/stipend disbursements to

youth trainees through Cash-over-Counter (COC) has

proved to be really effective in youth having timely cash-

in-hand to compensate for their monthly travel and

other related expenses. However, cases have been

observed during the quarter having youth not receiving

the PEX code on their mobile numbers (a mandatory

step for cash disbursements), causing problems in

release of monthly stipends.

The training team activity coordinated with the

head of institutes where PYWD project's

training programs are ongoing and established a

data sharing mechanism for identification and

timely resolution of such cases. The maintained

log and its real-time fixation through the

concerned financial institution has helped

overcome the issues effectively.

Delay in payments of Service Providers as well as

trainees stipend

Improve internal processes and capacity building

of the service providers/ industry to complete

the documentation requirements.

Irregularities in Payments of Stipend relating to OJT

leading to placement

The stipends disbursement was processed

through industries/ employers to avoid

irregularities and collection issues at local level.

Inadequate orientation of selected youth for industrial

training and placement on PYWD project

Community Mobilization team and PPICB jointly

hold sessions with trainees to provide adequate

orientation of youth on PYWD project

Unwillingness of youth to migrate to other cities for

jobs and/ or to work in industry as laborer

Career counselling services are more focused

on increasing work readiness in youth through

CC sessions – also providing orientation

sessions in collaborations with industry

Marginalized youth is educationally not qualified for

several career positions/ trainings

Rigorous search, and finding relevant employers

for less educated youth

Frivolous attitude of youth towards formal employment

– high turn-over ration observed with employers

One-to-one counselling sessions with the

candidates, while ensuring selection of more

serious workers to be linked with prospective

employers.

In the target districts, there was a significant number of

female youth that has been enrolled with the PYWD

project who are not registered with NADRA for either

CNIC or B-form.

Project community engagement Team seek

possibilities to engage mobile NADRA teams

for this registration of female for CNICs in

national data base of NADRA.

Figure 49: Project-level key problems encountered, and solutions employed


Communications and Outreach

USAID-PYWD Project’s Communication & Outreach activities are cross-cutting and aim to translate

the project’s scale, scope and achievements using different media formats. They disseminate USAID’s

key message among the key target stakeholders, partners, beneficiaries and community at large,

complying with branding and marking guidelines. A brief of significant initiatives taken during the

reporting period are as follows:

Radio Show with FM101

On October 17, 2017, the project arranged an

interactive radio talk “Aap, Hum Aur Behtar Zindagi”

on FM101, leading radio “infotainment” network in

Pakistan. The purpose of the program was to

highlight USAID’s assistance through the Punjab

Youth Workforce Development Project in providing

skills training to 10,000 youth in four districts of

south Punjab over three years. The show highlighted

project's scale, scope and achievements to date along

with its collaboration with TEVT

Youth Roundtable

On October 25, 2017, the project provided organized a round table discussion on Positive Youth

Development and Community Engagement at PYWD office, Lahore. The purpose of this round table

was to bring together youth leaders, NGOs, development partners, the private sector and government

officials to discuss the issues facing youth and share lessons learned on positive youth development

and community engagement.

Graduation and Toolkit Distribution Ceremony

The purpose of this event was to commemorate the project-trained first batch of skilled youth, who

completed their six-month training in different market-driven trades in collaboration with TEVTA,

enabling them to kick start their self-employment or get job placement opportunities for better


incomes and improved livelihoods. On November 4, 2017, the project organized its first Graduation

Ceremony at Government College of Technology for Women, Qasim Pur Colony Multan. United

States Consul General Punjab, Ms. Elizabeth Kennedy Trudeau, USAID Provincial Director Le Swanson

and Chief of Party PYWD project, Qaiser Nadeem awarded toolkits and certificates to the 40 female

trainees, graduated under Punjab Youth Workforce Development (PYWD) Project.

Seminar on Business Partnership

The project roll-outed a seminar on Business Partnerships

jointly organized with the Multan Chamber of Commerce

& Industry (MCCI) on November 16, 2017 at Multan. The

objective of this seminar was to discuss the workforce

requirement of local businesses and industry and review

the available trades offered by the various training

providers. Also, through this forum, the project urged the

business community to provide training and job

opportunities to the project-identified marginalized youth

of selected South Punjab districts as per their demand. The

project offered them requisite support in designing

demand-driven training programs for the absorption of

youth in labor market. The project also inked a

memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Multan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI) for

joining hands in the pursuit of building capacity of training institutes and provide placement to the

youth for sustainable income generation.

Project beneficiaries with the guests after graduation ceremony at Government College of Technology for Women, Multan.

MOU Singing event with Multan Chamber of

Commerce & Industry (MCCI)


16 Days of Activism

The project conducted awareness sessions with female

beneficiaries at PVTC and TEVTA institutes in Multan on ‘16

Days of Activism’, a global annual campaign aimed at

eliminating violence against women and girls on December 4-

5, 2017. The theme was “Together We Can End Gender-

based Violence (GBV) in Education”, challenges faced in

addressing GBV in education, and best practices for

eradicating violence. The objectives of arranging the

awareness sessions were to create awareness on the global

16 Days of Activism campaign to educate trainees on human

rights, particularly women rights and foster socially

constructive attitudes among participants to eliminate

gender-based violence and gender-based discrimination. The

participants took keen interest in a series of activities and

discussion on topics ranging from gender-based violence at

home, schools and society, challenges and prospects to

overcome these issues.

Focus Group Discussion on Malnutrition

The project extended support to arrange a Focus Group

Discussion (FGD) on January 31, 2018 with female

workers placed by the project at Khawaja Tanneries

Private Limited, a leather-manufacturing factory in

Multan. The purpose of this group discussion was to

initiate a dialogue on the theme of Malnutrition. The FGD

was fruitful and appreciated by the participants and the

event was successful to create awareness on health and

hygiene among women.

Awareness sessions with female

beneficiaries were conducted at PVTC

and TEVTA institutes on ‘16 days of

activism’, a global annual campaign

aimed at eliminating violence against

women and girls

PYWD project’s female trainees during the

session on nutrition intake and physical

activity


Radio Show with FM 101

The Project conduced a radio show to highlight how

the PYWD project’s skills-based training programs and

interventions are transforming the livelihoods of

marginalized youth. The show was aired on February 6,

2018 at FM 101. The show provided sensitization to

business community to provide skilled labor to the

industry, and thereby enable job placements for PYWD

project beneficiaries.

World Day of Social Justice

The project conducted two awareness sessions on the “World Day of Social Justice” in Muzaffargarh

and Bahawalpur. As part of the project’s Behavior

Change Communications (BCC) plan, these sessions

aimed to increase awareness about the concept of

social justice and its related themes among target

youth, which would be instrumental to achieve the

project’s overall objective of ‘Increased Stability in

focus areas’. The participants actively participated in

the activities and remarked that sessions on such topics

should be frequently arranged to help them voice their

concerns, learn new concepts and get engaged in a

lively discussion.

USAID-PYWD Project’s Staff Retreat

The project organized a staff retreat for PYWD project staff on February 13-14, 2018. Several

interactive and engaging activities took place, along with group discussions on project’s performance

review, achievements, and lessons learnt and way forward strategy. Furthermore, appreciation

certificates were distributed among key staff members to acknowledge their performance and valuable

contribution to the project

.

Project Beneficiaries; Iram and Jibran along

with Ansa Rabia, (Placement, Partnership

and Institutional Capacity Building

Specialist, PYWD Project) and Shafqat-Ur-

Rehman (Research Head PVTC) during the

recording of the radio show

Rural Women, Celebrating Day of

Social Justice


Punjab Skills Advisory Forum

The project collaborated with GIZ to organize Punjab

Skills Advisory Forum on February 27, 2018. The

purpose of the session was to bring together diverse

stakeholders working in the TVET sector in Pakistan to

familiarize them the latest developments and discuss way

forward to make the TVET system cope with the future

challenges. Furthermore, it provided a platform for the

project to showcase its activities in front of key

stakeholders and explore different avenues of

collaboration and synergy. The project was also invited

to be a part of the next Technical Working Group of

Punjab Skills Advisory Forums (PSAF).

Mr. Agha Waqar Javed, Member P&D Board,

Anne Kofoed, First Secretary Education and

Governance EU Embassy, Shinsaku Nomura,

Team Lead World Bank, Fatima Afzal, DIFID

and CoP, PYWD

PYWD Project team during Annual Retreat.


Women Entrepreneurship Conference

The project provided support to jointly organize

a Women Entrepreneurship Conference

(WECON) with Change Mechanics and GOAL

Training Pvt. Ltd, in media partnership with Mir

Khalil Ur Rehman Society, Jang Group of

Newspapers. The conference took place on

March 31, 2018 at the University of Central

Punjab (UCP), Lahore and the project showcased

its interventions and significant achievements to

the diverse stakeholders coming from industries,

businesses, donors as well as aspiring women

entrepreneurs for a meaningful, effective

dialogue on women’s empowerment and

entrepreneurship avenues. Besides formal

sessions, the project exhibited its stall, which was appraised by over 300 visitors due its traditional set

up, colorful backdrops and props. The conference also hosted Wonder Women session, where

Shahida Somro (a project trained micro entrepreneur) shared her inspirational story, and highlighted

the role USAID-PYWD project played enabling her to become an established entrepreneur.

Round Table on Business Partnerships

The project organized a round table on business

partnerships, aiming to promote youth employment

opportunities in the Hospitality and Clinical Care sectors.

The roundtable served as a platform for professionals in

the technical and vocational training sector, including

representatives from Fatima Memorial Hospital (FMH),

PVTC, Technical Education & TEVTA) and Lahore

Restaurants Association (LRA), to share their expertise

and knowledge on youth skills development in market-

driven trades. At the roundtable, a tripartite agreement

was also signed between FMH, PVTC and PYWD project

with the objectives of upgrading PVTC’s clinical assistant

course and of engaging in youth skills development for the

provision of quality healthcare services. USAID/Pakistan Mission Director, Jerry Bisson and Provincial

Director USAID Punjab, Lea Swanson witnessed the signing.

Shahida Somro, A micro entrepreneur sharing

her success story during the conference

The USAID-PYWD Project

trainees during a live

demonstration of their blue pottery

skills


Celebration of International Mother’s Day

The project organized two interactive awareness

sessions on the “International Mother’s Day” for

the students of Government Technical Training

Centers, Bahawalpur and Muzaffargarh. The events

turned out to be very productive, participatory and

purposeful; the students keenly participated in

speeches, quiz, card making contest, poetry

competition, skits and song performances to pay

respect to their mothers. The participants

suggested to hold such sessions repeatedly to help

them improve their soft skills and get an

opportunity to express their thoughts candidly.

Newsletter Dissemination

The project designed and developed four newsletters highlighting

significant developments at PYWD project. Through these

newsletters the project shed light on the project’s interventions in

fostering socially constructive attitudes among the project

beneficiaries through outreach activities. The project disseminated

copies of newsletters among key stakeholders and partners.

Youth Awareness Sessions on the Importance of Vote

The PYWD Project

organized youth

awareness sessions

on the importance

of vote, democracy

and fundamental

rights of citizens at technical and vocational institutes

of Multan, Muzaffargarh, Bahawalpur and Lodhran on

the evening of election 2018. Around 219 students,

106 boys and 113 girls participated in these

interactive and informative sessions and got an

insight about the significance of electoral process for

socio-economic development of the country. They

participated in quiz, Q&A round, role-play and learnt to be conscientious in the selection of best

candidate in their constituency, the right method of casting vote, knowing about respective polling

stations and validity of their CNICs. Through this campaign more than 200 trainees successfully casted

their vote for the first time on the day of election. The participants shared very positive feedback on

these sessions, stating them to be helpful in providing them an opportunity to ensure their self-identity.

Mother’s Day event turned out to be

interactive and participatory as students and

mothers both participated in it

Cover of the Spotlight,

Volume II, Issue II

Youth holding cards to raise

voting awareness through slogans


Naat Competition

To mark the sacred month of Ramadan, the project organized

Naat Competition at Government Technical Training Institute,

Lodhran and Government College of Technology, Multan

respectively. Around 250 students, teachers and community

members were part of the event to encourage youth to

compete against each other and prove their vocal

skills. Through Naat recitals, a combination of vocabulary,

voice, rhythm and experience gave each participant their

unique oral signature. Based on performances, judges picked

the winners and distributed prizes among them. The contest

helped spread the message of love, peace and humanity among

youth and provided them with an opportunity to improve their

confidence through self-expression.

Prizes were distributed among the

winners of Naat Competition

Participants of Naat Competition Event.


Radio Show with FM101

The PYWD project went on air in a leading weekly Radio

Show “Aap Hum Aur Behtar Zindagi” on June 28, 2018 on

FM101. The purpose of the program was to highlight how

the project’s skills-based training programs and initiatives

are transforming the livelihoods of 10,000 marginalized

youth (including 35% females), aged 16 to 29 in the priority

districts. Furthermore, it disseminated the project’s role to

produce skilled workforce for the industry and create

partnerships with public-private sector employers for the

job placement and self-employment of trained youth,

thereby leading to increased stability and improved

livelihood in the focus areas. The participants of this radio

show were Kamran Khan, Public Private Partnership

Expert, Haseeb Saadat, Private Sector Employer and two

graduates of Solar Panel Technician Training Program of

the project.

Celebration of Int’l Youth and Independence Day

The project celebrated Pakistan’s 71st Independence Day

and International Youth Day 2018, at District Council,

Lodhran and Vocational Training Institute, Khanewal Road

Multan. Around 1,810 youth (1045 female and 765 male)

participated in the events. The purpose of these events was

to provide project beneficiaries with an opportunity to

foster self-identity, appreciation and spread a message of

national integrity, patriotism, peace and harmony through

diverse performances and cultural activities. The event also

showcased the project’s efforts to strengthen partnerships

with the district government, training providers and public-

private sector employers to jointly transform the lives of its

focused youth and their families, through skills-based

training, self-employment and placement opportunities. On

this occasion, Chief of Party PYWD project also join hands

with the Deputy Commissioner Multan in supporting

district government’s Green, Clean and Safe Multan

campaign, community-based small development schemes

and vocational training at Sanatzar, Multan.

Beneficiaries along with Kamran Khan,

a Public Private Partnership Expert

(USAID-PYWD Project) and Haseeb

Saadat, a private sector employer

participated in a weekly Radio Show

“Aap Hum Aur Behtar Zindagi”

Youth singing a patriotic song to

celebrate Independence Day


Inauguration of Career Counseling Center

The Project organized a ceremony to formally inaugurate the established 8 Career Counseling Centers

for TVET sector at Govt. Women Vocational Training Institute (GVTI), Bahawalpur. Chairman District

Council, Lodhran, Assistant Commissioner Bahawalpur, District Manager TEVTA South, Chief of Party

PYWD project and Principal of GVTI along with other participants attended. The career-counseling

center will serve to conduct regular training sessions on job search skills, preparation for interviews,

work readiness and one-to-one counseling to opt wage-employment or self-employment according to

the job seeker’s personality.

Launch of TVET Sector Skills Gap Analysis Report

The PYWD project team organized an event to present its Technical Education and Vocational

Training (TVET) Skills Gap Analysis Report, discussed above. The event was a great platform for TVET

sector public-private stakeholders, including Planning and Development Department, Deutsche

Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit and Punjab Skills Development Fund to discuss the

findings of the report, required policy reforms in TVET sector and the way forward to increase youth

employment in the country. Representatives from the private sector, vocational training providers,

Female trainees holding cards to celebrate Pakistan’s skilled workforce, on the Independence Day


including TEVTA, PVTC and donors supporting youth capacity-building initiatives in Pakistan also

participated in the event.

Green and Clean Pakistan - Tree Plantation Event

The project and district governments, Multan and Lodhran jointly inaugurated Green and Clean

Pakistan Campaign, by organizing tree plantation events/seminars, at Qassim Fort Multan and District

Council Hall, Lodhran. The purpose of these events was to join hands together in supporting

Government of Pakistan's tree plantation efforts and to complement district governments’

commitment to plant more than 400,000 trees in Multan and Lodhran respectively. Furthermore, the

events aimed to highlight USAID’s assistance, extended through PYWD project in creating awareness

about the importance of tree plantation and environment conservation among youth and communities.

Technical Education and Vocational Training (TVET) Skills Gap Analysis Report Launching Event

The event provided a platform for TVET sector public-private stakeholders to support youth capacity-building initiatives in

Pakistan by discussing the findings the TVET Sector Skills Gap Analysis Report

USAID-PYWD Chief of Party, President of Lodhran Pilot Project and Deputy Commissioner Lodhran, planted a tree during

Green and Clean Pakistan - Tree Plantation Event.


Behavior Change Campaign

The project’s Communications team designed Behavior Change Campaign (BCC) contents, based on

10 topics including, Responsible Citizenship, Positive Attitude, Leadership, Job Ethics and Work

Readiness, Effective Communications Skills, Gender Equality, Peace and Harmony, Health and

cleanliness, Fundamental Rights and Environment. All other giveaways/outreach/BCC material and

products, including branded mugs, caps, shirts, tote bags, ball pens, wall posters, steamers,

puzzle/board game, and flyer will be based on these contents. A detailed matrix including

implementation plan, monitoring mechanism to gauge the impact will be developed. Roll-out of this

BCC campaign, as per revised contents is planned for the first quarter of Year 3.

Documentation of Success Stories

In Year 2, the team developed 15 success stories, and video clips, highlighting the project’s impact

and presented at different forums.


BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING: FROM HOMEKAER TO ENTREPRENEUR

Twenty-seven-year-old Sumaira lives in a small

settlement near the Bahawalpur railway station. She

always wanted to set up a small store but was told that

women can’t run a business. She decided to take a risk

anyway. Sumaira is married with four kids and her

husband is a ‘Kuli’ (daily hire for passengers traveling

through train to carry their luggage). It was very difficult

for them both to run the domestic chores and afford

schooling of their kids. Sumaira was apprehensive about

rising household expenses and wanted to supplement

her husband’s income, while still taking care of her house

and children.

Through USAID-PYWD Project’s microfinance scheme,

she applied for a loan and started a small grocery store

in her own house. She has also managed to create a

bigger customer base because her shop is the first one

running by a woman in her area. The local women and

girls feel comfortable coming to store to get groceries

even during late hours.

This program is about enabling women to achieve financial

independence and experience the security that comes from

earning their own money. Payback of the loan happens over

the course of one year, however most individuals feel that they

are able to pay it back much quicker. There are other perks to

being self employed; women often choose a business that can

be run from home or they tailor their hours to meet the needs

of their family. Sumaira realized she knew most of the people

around her and knew exactly what would sell. Simultaneously,

she could take care of her usual household chores. All she

needed was some financial support and guidance. Through

this scheme, she received basic training in business planning

and financial literacy along with a small loan to start a small

shop. The training is specifically designed for individuals with

no previous business experience and it does not rely on

education or even literacy. It is an engaging and builds on the

knowledge that they already possess. It is about building

confidence and teaching them how to run a successful

business.

Riaz, her husband helps her with inventory and stocking. Every

morning before leaving for his work, he buys fresh vegetables and

fruits for her shop from local farmers’ market on reasonable rates.

They both are committed to building a secure future for their family.

Sumaira said: “Today we can easily pay for

our children’s education... all paid by the

income I make from my store. I would not

have been able to achieve much without the

business training and interest-free loan. It’s

very hard to get a loan from banks because

you have to show a consistent flow of

income or you have put a piece of land or

your house or cattle ‘giravi’ (mortgage) to

provide some kind of personal guarantee

but we had no capital.’’ She added: “Now I

want to be able to use my shop to create

better lives for my children. I hope to be able

to pay for their education so they can go on

to complete their studies.”

“There’s a cruel cycle of poverty here, families

can't provide for their children. Children end up

on the streets. For us, Sumaira broke this cycle.

She has an ability to do a lot of tasks at the same

time. I feel that she is an inspiration for my kids

and I am proud of her journey from a homemaker

to a businessperson.” Riaz (Sumaira’s husband)


CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH IN HOSPITALITY

“When you work in a cafe, no two days are the same and you meet

a diverse range of people. My boss has helped me every step of the

way, providing guidance on how to work under pressure and

strategies for dealing with challenging situations.” Muhammad khan

encourages young people to never give up and says there is

always hope.

The hospitality industry in Pakistan is poised for growth,

but its success depends on its ability to develop the skills

and talents of its greatest asset: young people. The

USAID-Punjab Youth Workforce Development Project

(PYWD) provides on-the-job training to youth and

imparts them not only with adequate technical but also

soft skills. The goals for on-the-job investment in youth

are to gain a competitive advantage, retain talented

employees, and nurture upward mobility in the

workforce.

Muhammad Khan is now the headwaiter at The Heritage

Café in Bahawalpur, a result of his hard work and support

from the PYWD project. Before this job, he had been

unemployed for several years and was dependent on his

retired father. His life took a positive turn when he

received career counseling from the PYWD Project.

“USAID-PYWD Project’s community mobilizer Mr.

Aurangzeb helped me prepare for the job interview,” he

explained. “The career counselor helped me understand

that in today’s job market, it is vital to pitch your

professional strengths and interpersonal skills. With so

many people in the market, you have to stand out.”

“I was very nervous before the interview with the

potential employer. Mr. Aurangzeb helped me stay

mentally focused, so I could respond to the questions

calmly.” he added.

“The owner of The Heritage Café Mr.Hassan Nawaz

interviewed me for the position and I got selected. I am

the headwaiter at the café where I manage all aspects of

the café’s reception, from bookings to receiving guests,

and guiding the café staff. I am happy in my current

position but am keen to improve myself as a hospitality

industry professional.”

If the hospitality sector of Pakistan can bring its scope and

scale to help address the youth employment challenge, it

can fulfill its own needs for a trained workforce while

empowering youth to acquire the means and stability they

need to enter adulthood with renewed hope for a bright

future.

* PYWD Project beneficiary, Muhammad Khan with the owner of the

café Hassan Nawaz.


Financial Progress during the year

The detailed financial report reflecting the expenditure vs. budget in US Dollars is shown below in

Figure50:

Budget vs. Expenditure in USD

Budget Heads Total Approved

Budget

Financial Progress

Approved Budget

Year 2

Expenditure

Year 2

Total

Expenditures

Till 30 Sep 2018

Remaining Budget

Direct Labor $10,424,762.53 $ 6,250,154.50 $ 2,615,702.34 $ 3,781,472.92 $ 6,643,289.61

Indirect Cost $1,129,118.26 $ 688,179.99 $ 196,476.87 $ 498,724.95 $ 630,393.31

Other Direct

Cost $1,487,799.06 $ 456,647.68 $ 413,529.19 $ 488,392.55 $ 999,406.51

Fee $ 685,879.05 $ 369,749.10 $ 206,031.50 $ 338,641.18 $ 347,237.87

Pre-

Mobilization $ 220,235.00 $ 220,235.72 ($0.72)

Grand Total $13,947,793.90 $ 7,764,731.27 $ 3,431,739.90 $ 5,327,467.32 $ 8,620,326.58

The above figure 50 reflects an overview of the expenditures (in US Dollars) against the PYWD

Program from October 1, 2017 to 30 Sep 2018. An expenditure of US $3,431,739.90 was made in

Year 2 while an overall expenditure of US $5,327,467.32 was made through September 30, 2018. The

percentage head wise expenditure of the project is shown in figure 51.

Figure 50: Head-wise Budget vs Expenditure data as of Sep 30, 2018

Figure 51: Head-wise expenditure break-up in percentage terms


ANNEX-A: PROGRESS AGAINST THE WORKPLAN

Activities Target

Year 2

Progress

Year 2 Remarks

Identify & engage existing COs and stakeholders,

setup meetings and conduct 1st dialogue

144 120 COs and local-level stakeholders are engaged

for expansion into new Union Councils.

Signing Resolutions with COs 144 120 Through community mobilization, the

resolutions were signed with identified Cos to

ensure expanded outreach in communities.

Conduct consultative meetings with selected

COs, stakeholders and community members in

four districts

144 120 The consultative sessions with COs were

conducted to orientate the CO members

about the PYWD project, and identification of

marginalized youth from community.

Conduct district level events

4 20 Events on Independence Day, Green and clean

Pakistan, Ramadan, Mother day, Skills

competition etc. were conducted during the

Year.

Participation in district level events from youth

trainees & youth identified through community

2,800 3,736 3736 beneficiaries & community members

participated in 4 events.

Formation of REFLECT Group through

finalization of members

21 22 22 REFLECT Groups were formed

Conducting sessions with REFLECT

Group/Circle members

21 44 44 sessions were held with the RCs.

Implementation of consensus-based schemes/

community projects

10 - Implementation of community development

projects will be initiated in Year 3.

Conduct awareness session at community level

(esp. reaching out to families of female youth for

their participation in offered training)

6,058 8182 Youth in target four districts were mobilized

and engaged for participation in awareness

sessions.

Identification of Schools and orientation

meetings with school management

16 16 16 new schools were engaged for exposure

visits of students

Arranging exposure visits of school students to

vocational training institutes

800 778 778 schools students visited vocational training

institutes

Using both print & electronic media to provide

coverage of youth community service projects

and cultural events

4 6 Print & electronic media was utilized in 6

events

Identification of youth from

disadvantaged/underserved groups in focus

districts for enrollments

6,058 8,568 8568 youth from disadvantaged or

underserved groups were identified during the

year

Implementation of SMS campaign 1 1 Roll-out of SMS campaign was done in the last

week of September 2018.


Activities Target

Year 2

Progress

Year 2 Remarks

Establishment of Career Counseling Centers 08 08 08 CC Centers were established

Training of TIs staff in Career Counseling 44 43 The training of 43 TI staff was completed.

Support to trained youth through CC services 1,600 807 807 unemployed youth are provided with CC

services

Youth linkage with employers for placements 550 226 226 unemployed youth were linked for job

placements with employers during the quarter.

Trade-wise gap analysis conducted 21 21 In-depth capacity assessment of 21 government

institutes conducted during the quarter.

Development of institute-specific capacity

building plan to target critical gaps

21 21 ICB plans for all targeted institutes finalized.

Provision of machinery and equipment to

finalized training institutes

21 18 Machinery and equipment is completed for 18

institutes.

Develop a cadre of master trainers 75 76 76 staff members from PVTC were trained

during the quarter.

Enrollments with Institutes for skills

development training

2,725 3328 Enrollments with TEVTA, PVTC, OJT with

private sector employers & IRM done during

the quarter.

Enrollments in partnership with PSDF for

“Skills for Market Linkages Program”

1,100 1,100 1,100 youth were enrolled with PSDF

Distribution of Toolkits to Trainees 2,000 342 During the quarter 21 toolkits were

distributed to youth.

Placement of youth with employers/industry for

on-the-job training

2,100 1738 1738 youth were provided with OJT

Provision of Entrepreneurship training to

selected youth

750 671 671 youth were given Entrepreneurship

training

Disbursement of loans to final selected youth 750 590 590 youth were provided with Microfinance

loans

Developing Newsletters

(English and Urdu)

4 4 04 Newsletters were prepared

Documentation of Success Stories 16 15 15 success stories were prepared.


ANNEX-B: PROGRESS AGAINST PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

Indicator Statement LOP Target Baseline Value / Year Year 2 Targets Progress Year 2

IR 1: Youth Economic Opportunities increased

Sub-IR 1.1: Selected Training Institution’s capacity enhanced

1.1.a: % of participants on capacity building activities which report improved abilities

and that have applied new knowledge [IR 3.2.b]

60% 0 60% 95%

1.1.b: # of training institutions for which Capacity Building Plans successfully

implemented

22 0 20 22

Sub-IR 1.2: Selected youth enrolled with TIs, apprenticeship program & placed

through career counseling services

1.2.a: # of youth completing vocational training courses with USG assistance 9,000 0 5,100 3791

1.2.b: # of youth completing apprenticeship program 4,500 0 2,500 1570

1.2.c: # of trained youth linked with various businesses through PYWD placement

support

1,000 0 500 226

Sub-IR 1.3: Self-Employment Enterprises Supported

1.3.a: # of toolkits distributed to youth through USG assistance for support in

implementation of learnt skills in respective trades

3,500 0 1,500 342

1.3.b: # of youth successfully acquiring micro-finance loans 1,000 0 500 590


Indicator Statement LOP Target Baseline Value / Year Year 2 Targets Progress Year 2

1.3.c: % of female participants in USG-assisted programs designed to increase access to

productive economic resources (assets, credit, income or employment) [Gender –F

Indicator]

35% 0 35% 26%

IR 2: Socially Constructive attitudes & beliefs among youth and their

communities enhanced

Sub-IR 2.1: Local Community in focus areas Engaged

2.1.a: # of COs/CBOs engaged through community-level meetings & Youth awareness

session

300 0 100 120

2.1.b: # of consensus building forums (multi-party, civil/ security, and/or civil/political)

held with USG assistance [IR 3.2.2.a]

40 0 16 44

2.1.c: # of youth engaged in recreational, cultural and other benign activities through

USG-assistance [IR 3.2.3.a]

3,200 0 2,800 3736

Sub-IR 2.2: Positive Social attitude messages and Training Opportunities

Communicated

2.2.a: # of community members (individuals) reached through project’s communication

and outreach campaign

80,000 0 30,000 -

2.2.b: # of focus youth identified from local community 13,300 0 6,500 8568


ANNEX-C: LIST OF INSTITUTES SUPPORTED TO ESTABLISH CC CENTERS

Sr# District Name of Institute Complete Address

1 Multan GTTI (W), Multan Near T Chowk Shah Rukn-e- Alam Colony Multan

2 Multan GTTI Khanewal Road Multan Opposite Daewoo Terminal Bus Stand near Chowk Kumharanwala

Multan

3 Muzaffargarh GCT Muzaffargarh New Ali Pur By Pass D.G Khan Road Muzaffargarh

4 Muzaffargarh GVTI (W) Muzaffargarh Near Faisal Statdium D.G.Khan Road Muzaffargarh

5 Bahawalpur GCT (M) Bahawalpur Hasilpur Road, Satellite Town, Bahawalpur

6 Bahawalpur GVTI (W) Bahawalpur near Niaz petrol Pum Farid Gate road Bahawalpur

7 Lodhran GTTI Lodhran Near commerce college, new sports stadium road

8 Lodhran GVTI (W) Lodhran Eid Gaah street, Aziz Market opposite post office

punjab youth workforce development project …

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