Diploma of Associate Engineering
In Pakistan, the Diploma of Associate Engineer or DAE is a three years post-secondary program of instruction in various engineering disciplines. It includes regular studies with classroom lectures, workshop assignments, laboratory experiments, industrial projects and industrial tours.
The DAE awarded by the Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh Boards of Technical Education is offered in various engineering disciplines such as electrical engineering, electronics engineering, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, biomedical engineering and petroleum engineering. A student can be admitted to a DAE course after passing Secondary School Certificate (SSC) in science subjects or Technical School Certificate (TSC). The government of Pakistan recognizes the DAE as equivalent to Higher Secondary School Certificate pre-engineering for further study purposes.
This diploma was started in Pakistan in the early 1950s.
After successful completion of DAE course, students can join either BE/BS/BSc engineering and B.Tech degree programs or find employment as supervisors, foreman, technicians, sub-engineers, draftsman, overseers, chemical or gas plant operators, junior instructors or workshop superintendents etc.
Hundreds of government and private institutes across the country which offer the DAE.
At federal level, the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission in Islamabad is the responsible government body for technical education.
In the Punjab, the Punjab Board of Technical Education in Lahore and the Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority are the responsible government bodies for technical education.
In Sindh, the Sindh Board of Technical Education in Karachi and the Sindh Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority are the responsible government bodies for technical education.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Board of Technical Education in Peshawar and Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority are the responsible government bodies for technical education.
In Balochistan, the Balochistan Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority in Quetta is the responsible government body for technical education.
In Azad Jammu & Kashmir, the Azad Jammu & Kashmir Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority in Muzaffarabad is the responsible government body for technical education.