Govt aims to train one million youth in hi-tech skills

ISLAMABAD: The PTI government is making plans to train one-million youth over the next few years with an increased focus on high-tech skills, while a PC-1 for the second phase of the programme will be worked out within this month, The News learnt on Friday.

“The government has so far provided skills to 125,000 youth in the first phase of Skill for All Programme, out of which 50 percent has been trained in high-tech, while remaining 50 percent in traditional skills,” said Asab Umar, Federal Minister for Planning, while talking to The News.

“Out of a skilled workforce of 125,000 about 71 percent has kick-started own businesses.”

Umar said now the second phase of Skill for All project would be launched and it was envisaged that one million youth would be trained in over next 2 to 4 years’.

“We will provide all required infrastructure and now with more focus on high-tech skills so that increased demand in area of IT can be fulfilled,” he added.

He said as Prime Minister Imran Khan had announced the incentive package to promote Information Technology (IT), the government would now train majority of youth high-tech skills, because this sector would generate most of the job opportunities in the future.

He said authorities had been directed to prepare PC-1 for the second phase of Skill for All Programme under which one million youth would be trained to meet the future requirements.

According to official statement issued by Ministry of Planning, Federal Minister for Planning Development & Special Initiatives Asad Umar chaired a high-level meeting to review “Skills for All” project under PM’s Kamyab Jawan Programme.

The meeting was attended by Dr Shabnam Sarfraz, Member Social Sector & Devolution, Planning Commission, Chairman, National Vocational & Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), Syed Jawad Hassan, Sajid Baloch, Executive Director (NAVTTC) and other key officials.

Chairman, NVTTC informed the meeting that under the programme, overall, 74,737 trainees had been imparted training.

“The aim is to empower the youth of the country in various fields related to technologies. This includes 35,268 in High-Tech Technologies (Cyber Security, Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing, Internet of Things, Digital Marketing etc),” the official said.

In addition, 39,469 youth had been trained in conventional technologies, he and added that 71 percent skilled youth trained under the scheme were employed. This includes 20 percent of those who have been freelancing, according to the official.

Similarly, the meeting was informed that 23,000 youngsters skilled in the informal sector were now certified under Recognition of Prior Learning.

The minister appreciated the achievements and suggested exploromg avenues of scaling up the skill training to benefit the youth.

“Our top priority is to train youth so they are able to get jobs in various fields,” said the minister.