Punjab Approves Three Advanced Technical Training Centres in Lahore

The Punjab Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) has approved three major projects with a combined cost of more than Rs. 2.94 billion to establish modern technical training centres in the Shahdara area of Lahore, according to official details of the decision.

The approved schemes include a Centre of Excellence in Advanced Automotive Technologies, a Modern Woodworking Service Centre, and a Centre of Excellence for the Construction Sector. Together, the three facilities are intended to give young people hands-on instruction in advanced machinery and contemporary production methods.

The initiative is designed to move trainees beyond traditional apprenticeships with carpenters, masons and auto mechanics. By exposing students to modern equipment and up-to-date techniques in each trade, the centres aim to improve their employment prospects and earning potential after they complete their training.

Funding for the projects has been structured across budgets. An allocation of Rs. 566 million has been set aside for the current fiscal year, while the Punjab Finance Department has been directed to release the necessary funds so work on the approved schemes can proceed.

The approval reflects a broader push by provincial authorities to strengthen technical and vocational education as a route to better-paid jobs. Supporters of such programmes argue that equipping young people with specialised, modern skills helps them compete for work in industries that increasingly rely on advanced machinery and updated construction and manufacturing methods.

The three centres will be based in Shahdara, a densely populated part of Lahore, where access to structured technical training is seen as a key need for young residents entering the workforce.