VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND THE CHALLENGE OF SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT IN PUNJAB

Abstract

The article explores the role of vocational training in enhancing sustainable employment in Punjab, Pakistan. The study focuses on the factors such as institutional capacity, labor-market relevance, quality of training, linkages to industries, access, digital skills, and post-training employability. It should be noted that this article differs from the general discussion of employability in this region.

Study uses secondary qualitative data from governmental sources, professional publications, labor-market reports, policies, tracer studies and other works of literature. The data was analyzed thematically, descriptively and comparatively to reveal the key institutional and labor market factors that determine vocational training’s employment outcomes. The results demonstrate that vocational training institutions in Punjab have expanded the opportunities for skills development, but graduation does not guarantee stable employment. Key factors influencing vocational training’s employment outcomes are curriculum, employer links, apprenticeships, teachers and staff, quality assurance, digitalization, and graduate tracking. The study identifies the difference in access and participation based on gender and urban-rural location. The results suggest that there is a need for increased links between vocational training institutions and labor-market demand.