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Society
 Need for industrial human resources development

We now know that the source of wealth is something specifically human knowledge

By Hamid Sultan
 Aug 20 - 26, 2001

In the era of globalization today country stands at crossroad and in the past fifty three years path which our leaders adopted one after the other, every leader entered into the shoes of his predecessor to get rid the nation of the quagmire of corruption in which the nation has fallen, yet zero plus zero is equal to zero, and in the end result, the country landed in more corruption, more debts and more foreign intervention by money lending agencies. Our present government taking keen interest in economic welfare with strong and sincere leadership in this scenario it will be appreciating if priority should be given for development of industrial human resources in the country as UNDP human development report 2001 emphasise no good picture for us, the report in analysis to our persisting economic situation gives a strong warning bell to make the right investment choice or else suffer with consequences of globalizations. The report speaks that technology is not just a reward for growth and development but it is important tool to get development. The world economy is undergoing with dramatic changes and fast speed of development and advances in science & technology in the industrialized countries are on the whole, steady widening the gap between most developing countries for which priority is being given to industrial human resources development and training infrastructure to support sustainable industrial, economic, and social development. If we have to get better results, follow the economic policies of China. Industrial human resources development is the existing avenue which is our present need. We have got enough hard working forces, sincere manpower provided they are guided to work by training to put the right man on the right job at the right time and now Machiavellian theory of finding replacement and firing him must be avoided, and this will retard brain drain in the country.

It is surprising that we have failed to learn from the experience of the rich economies and of the more recently industrialized countries that sustained investment in human capital is needed for competitiveness and growth, this situation is now changing with globalization, increased investment and trade, and the spread of technology investment in human capital is of course is no guarantee of development if other relevant policies are inappropriate or are not properly implemented. But without the right kind of human capital other policies (economic, trade, and investment policies) will fail to deliver growth or the growth will come to half as soon as cheap labor and other resources cease to be critical to the next stage of development. Since the time taken for investment in human capital to bear fruit is compared to other investments, relatively long, the planning period has also to be necessarily long and timely. Further, unlike most other resources, human capital does not waste or diminish in value through use; on the contrary its values. Our country need to create the conditions and environment necessary for creativity and innovation essential for moving into and being competitive in the knowledge based industries which will provide the highest value-added for economies. As has been perceptively observed by Peter F. Drucker "We now know that the source of wealth is something specifically human knowledge, if we apply knowledge to tasks that are new and different, we call it innovation, only knowledge allow us to achieve these two goals". The globalization of production & markets, to shift from centrally planned to free market driven economies and establishment of trading blocks have brought about unpredictable employment patterns. This poses a great challenge to planners in developing countries to design and develop the right type of occupational skills at right time and the right quantity and mix. In the past years lack of well planned policies and well defined industrial policy and strategy has made us difficult to establish coherent human resources development together with the poor industrial human resources development and training infrastructure, these countries produce the skills which the national economy does not need and import it at high cost what they really require. In order for developing countries to become an economically viable partner in the global economy and to derive maximum benefits from the Uruguay Round and other international economic agreements to which they are party (having signed those agreements, there is need for them to re-examine their policies and to adjust them as appropriate. The key element in the adjustment would include for example the establishment of a long term vision, strategy and plan; restructuring the economic base, including the formation and implementation of a sound industrial policy and strategic management programmes.

At the policy level the strategy should aim at enhancing capabilities for carrying out industrial human resources development and training needs assessment for formulating of industrial human resources development policies and elaboration of action plans and programmers. The strategy should facilitate linkage among the national educational system with establishment of a National Industrial Human Resources Development and Training Fund, for broader co-ordination with science & technology in industry, thus more closely linkage the programme. For requirement of our light, heavy, industries to train, scientists, engineers, managers, raw labor. It is strongly needed that a scheme known as "Learn & Earn Programme (LEP)" be introduces in the country keeping in consideration the following ten points.

(1) A national development policy & plan to industrial human resources be developed.

(2) A national human resources development needs assessment should be carried out with strategic management programme.

(3) A comprehensive assessment of the national human resources development industrial infrastructure should be carried out with a view to strengthening existing relevant industrial training institution and new one established as need be with particular emphasis on the development and training of industrial leader, entrepreneurial and management capabilities engineers and other technical skills, trainers, and industrial consultants.

(4) In connection industrial human resources development and training institutions, the possibility of establishing specialized training centers (institutes) in priority national resource bases sub sectors such as food technology, petroleum, forest products, micro industries electronic, engineering, textiles, etc., should be considered / special attention should be given to the technical vocational schools and special science & technology schools and greater use of practical experience be arranged

(5) At the enterprise level the public and private sector should co-operate with industrial human resources development and training institutions and universities in the formulation, financing and execution of a programme for the development & training of factory labor, managers, engineers, technicians and other technical skill required for industrial production, quality assurance, industrial restructuring, rehabilitation and maintenance.

(6) The government and the private sector should develop a sustainable financing plan or mechanism for industrial human resources development and training including the possible establishment of a national based human resources development & training fund.

(7) In negotiation with multinational and bilateral financial institutions and technical co-operation and development agencies such as World Bank, or UNDP industrial human resources development should be emphasized as an integral component of all economic developments programmes financed by these agencies.

(8) Concerted efforts should be made towards the development and promotion of local industrial entrepreneurship, relating in particular to small and medium scale industries and micro industrial enterprise.

(9) Promote the local production, teaching, learning, facilities with videos and radio programmes and Pakistan Television Corporation should also play its role in this sector, also low priced books be made available in training field.

10) Particularly high priority should be accorded to special measures aimed at enhancing the integration of women in industry particularly for rural areas.