SWABI: Speakers at a graduation ceremony here on Wednesday underlined the importance of incubation in universities, saying the graduates, who underwent one-year training programme at the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology`s Incubation Centre, have successfully launched their entrepreneurial journey.

Science and Technology and Information Technology additional secretary Mohammad Fakhar Alam was the chief guest on the occasion, where officials of the directorate of science and technology (Dost), GIK Institute rector Jahangir Bashar, pro-rector (admin and finance) Ahsan Baseer Sheikh, faculty members of the institute and other universities, and entrepreneurs were also in attendance.

The graduates said the traininghelped them execute business ideas in a `safe, stable, supportive and creative`environment.

Currently working as entrepreneurs,they presented the progress of their startups and shared theirlearning experiences during the ceremony.

Mr Fakhar Alam said the government was focusing its attention on the promotion and development of entrepreneurship, which was prerequisite for socio-economic development of the province.

He said the provision of working environment to f resh graduates not only motivated them to become entrepreneurs but also gave new employment opportunities to the unemployed people.

The graduate said the GIK Incubation Centre worked according to the provincial government`s vision according to which the participants were assisted in executing their ideas instead of wasting time in job hunt.

GIK Institute rector Jehangir Bashar said the startup journey of the young graduates and the different business models adopted by them was the achievement of the GIK Incubation Centre.

`This is a unique way in which the GIK Institute is serving society by creating awareness and promoting entrepreneur-ial spirit,` he said.

The rector said various difñculties were faced by the institute at the initial developmental stages of the incubation centre but currently, it could proudly shareits successfulstartup stories.

`We are confident to deliver much more in future,` he said.

He said the achievements were made possible through the generous Knancial and technical support of the provincial government, especially DoST, and a GIK Institute team lead by Prof Wasim and Dr Cedric Aimal Edwin.

Earlier, Dr Cedric, head of the Incubation Centre, briefed the audience about the ongoing activities and the methodology of the incubator and highlighted how the incubator provided topnotch mentorship to fresh graduates in the Held ofentrepreneurship.

He said the programme transformed the innovative social and economic solutions of fresh graduates into operational self-suf ficient enterprises.

The audience lauded the presentations of young graduates and their entrepreneurship journey.ial spirit,` he said.

The rector said various difñculties were faced by the institute at the initial developmental stages of the incubation centre but currently, it could proudly shareits successfulstartup stories.

`We are confident to deliver much more in future,` he said.

He said the achievements were made possible through the generous Knancial and technical support of the provincial government, especially DoST, and a GIK Institute team lead by Prof Wasim and Dr Cedric Aimal Edwin.

Earlier, Dr Cedric, head of the Incubation Centre, briefed the audience about the ongoing activities and the methodology of the incubator and highlighted how the incubator provided topnotch mentorship to fresh graduates in the Held ofentrepreneurship.

He said the programme transformed the innovative social and economic solutions of fresh graduates into operational self-suf ficient enterprises.

The audience lauded the presentations of young graduates and their entrepreneurship journey.