Education system in Pakistan is thoroughly based on the theoretical ways of teaching and learning. From school to college and then till university, a student deals with books only. Even teachers who are appointed at the educational institutes to teach the students are not practically trained in their respective fields. By the time a student graduates, the only thing he/she achieves is the piece of paper to let people believe that he/she has done something academically.
Then a match of expectations start between the university graduates and the employers. A student who is done with 16 or 18 years of education expects to acquire a white-collar job soon after he/she finishes the degree. An employer who is looking for a suitable candidate for a vacant position is expecting an employee who can contribute to his/her organization as per the organization’s needs and requirements. Here comes the gap between academia and industry that is never bridged; hence causing an increase in unemployment in the society. Students are looking after good jobs while employers are looking after good employees but both are unable to find each other. The only reason behind this mismatch is the missing link between the job and the applicant and that is ‘skill’. An employer who needs an employee for a certain position wants someone who is suitable for the job and can perform his/her duties from the day one. Unfortunately, the workforce Pakistani universities are producing has a degree but not skill. A Computer Sciences graduate does not know the practical side of its field. A media graduate cannot develop write a news story. An English graduate cannot write and speak in English properly. Even a business graduate cannot prepare a business proposal.
Here in Pakistan, the biggest reason behind unemployment is not the absence of jobs rather it is the lack of skilled workforce. If our universities and institutes start producing skilled graduates who may contribute to their organizations from day one, the issue of unemployment can be permanently resolved. To do this, the educational institutes first need to employ the staff that is practically trained and is updated about the modern market trends and needs. The next thing the educational institutes need to do is to make their schemes of studies practice-oriented. The students must be evaluated on practical grounds instead of theoretical responses. If an educational system is based on market-oriented practical skills, the graduates will automatically be skilled and trained for the job roles they might be offered.
All the developed countries which are making progress in different fields have already implemented skills-based education systems and producing relevant workforce for the industry. Proper homework is done and estimates are projected for the required man force in a certain field. The universities and institutes work on the students and turn them into the desired workforce required in different areas. All the students who study in developed countries’ universities already know what they are up to and where they would be performing after their studies. This approach makes them fit for a position that is vacant for a suitable candidate.
Here in Pakistan, some educational institutes are working for the uplift of skills education and College of Tourism & Hotel Management (COTHM) is one such organization which is producing skillful and work-ready man force for the fields of hospitality and tourism. COTHM is operating in Pakistan since 2002 and offering courses in hospitality management, travel & tourism, culinary arts, baking and patisserie, and food safety. The best thing about COTHM is its skill-based approach towards teaching pedagogies as its slogan is ‘degree with skills’. Here the students are trained and evaluated on practical grounds and jobs are offered to the successful students soon after they are done with their studies.
The educational mechanism COTHM has developed in last twenty years must be followed and adopted at national level and degree awarding institutes and universities must be asked to work on producing skilled workforce instead of increasing the number of degree-holder unemployed youngsters.
While talking to Hospitality Plus, COTHM Founder & CEO Ahmad Shafiq said that COTHM believes in making Pakistani youth skillful enough to contribute to the national exchequer by serving not only in Pakistan but also in foreign countries. He further said that COTHM has taken it up as a mission to let everybody know about the importance of skills education and its possible fruits in the time to come. He also said that skillful youth is the future of Pakistan and COTHM is busy in ornamenting that future.

Vice Chancellor
University of the Punjab
Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar

COTHM is doing a great job in terms of empowering the youth of Pakistan economically and socially by equipping them with meaningful education and training which leads them to respectable and financially rewarding careers in the global hospitality and tourism industry. The remarkable training facility standards of COTHM speak volumes of its quality standards. Its concept of ‘Degree with Skills’ is the future of education not just in Pakistan but internationally.

Former Federal Minister for Education & Professional Training
Shafqat Mehmood
Education and training is the cornerstone of all our economic sectors; it drives the economy in true sense of the word. Hospitality and tourism industry is one of the most potent segments of the economy of Pakistan and we are committed to exploiting its full potential by employing aggressive strategies. It is a matter of great delight and satisfaction that an institute like COTHM is catering to the demanding workforce needs and requirements of the hospitality and tourism industry through its internationally-recognized ‘degree with skills’ education and training system.

German Ambassador Bernhard Schlaghzeck
Hospitality and tourism have become the most sought after fields in the whole world and Germany is also working vigorously in these fields. All we need is the skilled workforce in these areas that can contribute something to the existing system. I am pleased that COTHM Pakistan & Dubai has made a name for itself in the field of hospitality. Germany is already working closely with COTHM for the placement of skillful youth and we shall continue to boost this collaboration in future as well.

Founder & Chairperson
Qasim Ali Shah Foundation
Qasim Ali Shah

There is no dearth of employment opportunities in Pakistan. All we need is skilled youth who can perform their duties in an appropriate way. I urge the youth of Pakistan to go for attaining skills along with the degrees. If you are skillful, you are successful not only in Pakistan but also anywhere in the world. I appreciate COTHM for producing skillful youth in the fields of hospitality and tourism. COTHM model of ‘Degree with Skills’ is worth following and other institutes must go for this approach.