BEIJING – China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a pilot project underthe Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) will boost economic activities andgenerate around two million new jobs till 2030. “CPEC is the first one andmay serve as “role model”.

Under this initiative, infrastructure, power generation, development ofGwadar Port and industrialization will take place. It will boost economicactivities and create jobs.

It is expected that around two million new jobs will be generated throughCPEC till 2030,” according to an article published in China Daily on Monday.

As at this stage, most of the projects are categorized as infrastructuredevelopment. It will require civil engineers, mechanical, electrical andother related disciplines of engineering.

It will also need technicians: masons, welders, carpenters, surveyors,steel fixer, machine operators, etc.

In addition to a technical workforce, it will also need economists,finance, accounting, management HR and interpreters of Chinese language etc.

Among the on-going projects, most of them are in the power sector, eitherhydro-power, coal power, nuclear power or renewable energy projects.

The rest of the projects are the development of Gwadar port, airports,railway, pipelines, optical fibre-link.

There will be more jobs for engineers and technicians in the future withsome available to other disciplines as well.

Pakistan needs to introduce reforms in its educational sector, where itneeds to identify the requirements under CPEC and then produce therequisite human resource.

Currently, Chinese companies have created around 70,000 jobs forPakistanis, but in near future, the number will increase exponentially.

However, at the initial stage, Chinese companies may bring their ownworkforce for the time being. But bringing Chinese workforce is not aviable solution for the long run, it may solve an immediate issue forshort-term only.

As the Chinese wages are higher, against one Chinese worker, they can hirefour local workers. When they bring workforce from China, an additionalcost of air ticket, medical facilities, accommodation, food and other coststurn out to be economically less viable.

Bringing Chinese workforce may shoot up the cost of the project or reducethe profit margin for investors, in either case, it is not the desiredoption.

On the other hand, China is also facing a shortage of labour in its ownlabour market. Especially, in developed cities in the southern part ofChina, there exists an acute shortage of labour.

Due to economic growth in China, the standard of life has improved, andmany young people are not willing to opt for labour-intensive job. Most ofthe youth are well-off economically and depend on their parent’s money.

They may not work on a job below their standards. Some of them may begetting more money from parents, than earning by a job. Parents having onlyone child, but an abundance of money, may also not allow them to go for ajob below than their prestige.

It is a common social issue too. China may not be in a position to spareworkforce for overseas projects. Although, Pakistani workforce is not welltrained and not enough skilled etc.

But, in the longer run, there is a need to train the workforce up to mark,where they can be utilized efficiently. We need to improve theirproductivity.

It is all possible but requires hard work and government support. It mightbe an uphill task in the beginning, but once initiated, it will go on andon perpetually.

Providing jobs to locals will create a lot of good will and improve theliving standard of poverty-hit areas too. Under social responsibility,companies may extend cooperation in training and development of therequired human resource.

If master trainers are produced locally, it will help to multiply the localworkforce. Chinese experience of development may be replicated in Pakistan.

Pakistan has already institutions and basic facilities, need to strengthenthem and streamlining them. Appropriate policies and programs may belaunched to address such issues.

The day is not so far away when Pakistan can depend on its own domesticworkforce. It will bring prosperity to Pakistan. Job creation strengthensthe economy as well as ensures social welfare and advancement of society. -APP