A Dubai-based initiative is helping Pakistani blue-collar workers prepare for life and employment in the Gulf.

In partnership with the Bank of Punjab, Coded Minds, an education company founded in Dubai, has started pre-departure training sessions for workers who are about to travel to the UAE and other GCC states. The first session in Gujranwala, Punjab, trained 273 plumbers, electricians and carpenters who had secured jobs through the Punjab Technical and Vocational Training Authority (TVTA).

The training covers remittances and financial management, GCC labour laws, social media use, multicultural workplaces, and basic health and hygiene.

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More than 2.5 million Pakistanis are employed across the GCC, mostly in construction, manufacturing, hospitality, and services. According to Pakistan's Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment, workers from the country remitted approximately $34.9 billion in FY2025 (July 2024–June 2025), with the UAE and Saudi Arabia among the top destinations. Labour rights groups, however, note that many workers face challenges adjusting to new environments, lack awareness of contracts, or fall prey to recruitment malpractice.

“Pakistani workers are skilled but often unprepared for the realities of international employment,” said Amna Khaishgi of Coded Minds.“These sessions aim to bridge that gap.”

Bank of Punjab president Zafar Masud said the programme was as much about safeguarding remittances as it was about welfare.“Our labourers are not only breadwinners but also a critical source of foreign exchange. Equipping them before they leave increases their chances of success abroad and encourages use of formal banking channels.”

For workers, the sessions offer reassurance. Nabeel Ahmed, a 24-year-old electrician from Lahore heading to Dubai, said:“I had never worked outside my city. This training gave me a clearer idea of what to expect and how to manage life in another country.”

Khaishgi said about 5,000 workers have already gone through the training but called on authorities to make the sessions mandatory.“These workshops should be treated on par with skills training,” she said, urging Pakistan's Bureau of Emigration and host governments to adopt them as standard practice.

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