PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Higher Education Department (HED) on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the PakistanAustria Fachhochschule Institute of Applied Sciences, Haripur, to improve employment opportunities for university and college students.
Under the agreement, job fairs will be organised at educational institutions, bringing companies and industries directly to students and helping graduates connect with local and international employment opportunities.
Provincial Minister for Higher Education Meena Khan Afridi, who attended the signing ceremony as the chief guest, said that251,090 students were currently enrolled in public and private universities and degree colleges across the province.
He said connecting such a large number of young people with employment opportunities after graduation remained a key priority of the provincial government.
The minister said that universities in KP organised five job fairs last year, and the government was now working to expand the initiative by bringing employment opportunities closer to students at their own institutions.
He said that the department wasalso pursuing opportunities in international jobmarkets and had initiated correspondence with Pakistani commercial attaches to facilitate access for KP graduates.
Meena Khan said that overseas Pakistanis sent around $41.6 billion in remittances to the country last year, with the province’s overseas workforce also making a significant contribution to the national economy.
He announced that a paid internship programme for fresh graduates would be launched next month. Under the programme, graduates would receive internship opportunities in governmentdepartments relevant to their fields of study.
The minister said that the government’s objective was not merely to provide degrees but also to equip young people with practical experience, market-oriented skills and access to dignified employment.
He said that collaboration between the HED and relevant institutions would further strengthen efforts to connect students with local industries, the national job market and international employment opportunities.
-APP