There is a general perception among our students, especially our young generation, that higher education is the only way to become a member of the skilled work force. But as we move towards becoming a developing country, we need to change our mindset regarding higher education, and focus more on technical and vocational education to create a skilled workforce for the future. As experts in a recent roundtable have said, there is also no alternative to technical and vocational education to achieve the SDGs.

Unemployment is a big problem in Nepal as a large number of graduates find it really hard to enter the job market due to a lack of skills. But with proper technical education & vocational training, they can easily become a part of the skilled workforce. There is also a perception in our society that such jobs are only for the less affluent. This stereotype must be broken and practical skills must be prioritized. Only then can we achieve the SDGs, which is about “decent work for all.”

Furthermore, although there are many government and non-government organizations that have been providing various types of skills development trainings and offering technical courses, information regarding these institutions and courses are not easily available. If such information can be made available to the students, they can decide on what courses or training they need to take to make themselves competent. At present, many organizations are also providing such types of education and training. Therefore, they must work together to change our perceptions towards technical education. So, these are the focuses areas of PTS for competent job market.