AJK Launches Landmark Graduate Trainee Program for Engineers in Partnership with PEC

AJK Launches Landmark Graduate Trainee Program for Engineers in Partnership with PEC

In a significant move to bolster technical capacity and youth employment, the Government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) has formally partnered with the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) to launch the Graduate Engineer Trainee (GET) Placement Program across the region’s vital engineering departments.

A formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Pakistan Engineering Council and the AJK Planning and Development Department , marking the institutionalization of a structured training pathway for fresh engineering graduates. The signing ceremony, held with senior officials from both entities, is poised to reshape the early-career landscape for engineers in the region.

Strategic Partnership for Skill Development

The MoU was signed by Engr. Muhammad Sohail Khan, Head of the Corporate Affairs Unit at PEC, and Atif Rahman, the Additional Chief Secretary (Development) for AJK. The event was graced by the presence of PEC Chairman Engr. Waseem Nazir and AJK Chief Secretary Kushal Khan, underscoring the high-level commitment to the initiative. Registrar PEC Engr. Khadim Hussain Bhatti and other senior officials were also in attendance.

This collaboration establishes a formal framework for placing graduate engineers within key AJK government departments. The program is designed to provide crucial hands-on experience, bridging the often-cited gap between academic theory and professional practice.

Program Structure and Departmental Reach

Modeled on the successful “house job” concept familiar in the medical profession, the PEC GET Program features a six-month intensive training cycle. Chairman PEC, Engr. Waseem Nazir, detailed that the curriculum includes five months of immersive, field-based learning within engineering departments, followed by one month dedicated to essential soft skills development.

“This initiative is designed to enhance employability, strengthen technical competence, and better prepare young engineers to meet the evolving demands of the engineering sector,” stated Engr. Nazir. He emphasized that the program aims to produce industry-ready professionals equipped with both practical know-how and professional etiquette.

The trainee engineers will be deployed across several leading engineering departments of the AJK government, ensuring exposure to diverse and critical sectors. The designated departments include:

• Central Design Office (CDO)

• Communication & Works (Highways)

• Physical Planning & Housing / Public Health Engineering

• Planning & Development Department, Government of AJK

• Electricity Department AJK

• Power Development Organization

• Machinery Division (PWD)

• IT Department, Government of AJK

This wide-ranging placement strategy ensures that trainees gain experience in infrastructure, public health, energy, and technology—the cornerstones of regional development.

Bridging the Gap Between Academia and Industry

A core objective of the GET Program is to address the persistent challenge of fresh graduates lacking practical experience demanded by employers. The structured, supervised training under seasoned professionals is expected to dramatically improve the transition from university to the workforce.

AJK Chief Secretary Kushal Khan highlighted this transformative potential. “This initiative will help bridge the gap between academic learning and practical application, while strengthening the technical capacity of public sector institutions in Azad Jammu and Kashmir,” he said. He further added that engineers who undergo this rigorous training would contribute more effectively to the region’s development projects and public service delivery, enhancing the quality and efficiency of governmental operations.

Impact on AJK’s Development and Engineering Community

The signing of this MoU is widely viewed as a milestone for the engineering community in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. For fresh graduates, it represents a validated, quality-assured pathway to gain reputable experience, making them more competitive in the national and international job markets. For the participating government departments, it injects fresh talent and contemporary academic perspectives into ongoing projects, while also creating a pipeline for potential future hires.

The long-term vision, as outlined by officials, is to cultivate a skilled, confident, and modern engineering workforce within AJK. This workforce is seen as fundamental to achieving the region’s sustainable development goals, improving infrastructure resilience, and executing complex projects in energy, transportation, and urban planning.

Through close coordination between PEC, the premier regulatory body for engineering in Pakistan and the Government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the GET Placement Program is set to become a cornerstone of professional engineering development in the region. It stands as a proactive model of public institution collaboration aimed squarely at youth empowerment and institutional capacity building.