Google Launches Free Career Certificates to Bridge Digital Skill & Gender Gap in Pakistan

Google has announced its commitment to support the digital workforce in Pakistan by introducing three new Google Career Certificates and offering 44,500 scholarships through local partners. Google’s commitment to helping create a future-forward Pakistan has been reinforced by a recent study conducted by the Economist Impact, supported by the tech giant. The findings of the economic impact report show that Pakistan needs to invest in developing in-demand digital skills to stay competitive in the local and global markets. The study reveals that over half of employees (57.3%) consider digital skills to be the most important ones to acquire. Additionally, 81% of employees believe that learning digital skills has helped them gain confidence and improve their communication, analysis, and critical thinking abilities.  In response, Google is introducing three new Google Career Certificates in high-demand digital areas: Business Intelligence, Advanced Data Analytics, and Cybersecurity.

These certificates will help Pakistani job seekers acquire the skills needed to succeed in the digital economy. Moreover, Google is collaborating with local partners IRM and TechValley to provide 44,500 Google Career Certificate scholarships, enabling recipients to earn a certificate for free. By empowering Pakistan’s workforce with relevant skills and training, Google hopes to contribute to the country’s growth and development, creating a brighter future for all Pakistanis.

Economist Impact Report Shows Google Commitment towards a Future-forward Digital Pakistan

The findings of the economic impact report show that Pakistan needs to invest in developing in-demand digital skills to stay competitive in the local and global markets. The study reveals that over half of employees (57.3%) consider digital skills to be the most important ones to acquire. Additionally, 81% of employees believe that learning digital skills has helped them gain confidence and improve their communication, analysis, and critical thinking abilities.

Soft skills are also crucial in the Pakistani job market, with 47% of employees considering them essential for upskilling. The study reports that adaptability and flexibility are high priorities for 71.4% of employees, and communication is a must-have skill for 81.5% of them. Unfortunately, the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics’ research indicates that unemployment rates are higher than average among women and youth. Of the total unemployed youth, women make up 51%. Given the importance of digital and soft skills in today’s job market, it is essential to provide more support and training opportunities to empower Pakistan’s workforce, especially its women and youth.

The aim is to empower women and young graduates with the in-demand digital skills needed to ensure Pakistan remains competitive in both local and global markets. This move comes as a new study, supported by Google, shows that more support is needed to get the most out of Pakistan’s digital workforce. The study highlights the importance of digital skills and soft skills such as adaptability, flexibility, and communication for employees in Pakistan, particularly for women and youth who face higher than-average unemployment rates.

Growing demand for digital skills in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

As digital technologies continue to reshape the global economy, the demand for skilled workers in areas such as data analytics, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity is rapidly increasing. The World Economic Forum estimates that by 2025, over half of all employees will require significant reskilling and upskilling to meet the demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This trend is particularly relevant for developing countries such as Pakistan, where the workforce is increasingly being shaped by the country’s burgeoning IT and digital sectors.

According to the survey conducted by Economist Impact, supported by Google, digital skills are a top priority for employees in Pakistan. The country’s rapidly growing freelancer market and booming IT sector have resulted in a surge in demand for basic digital skills, with 72.1% of survey respondents citing them as a must-have

Addressing skills gap and infrastructure obstacles in Pakistan

However, despite the growing importance of digital skills, there is still a significant skills gap in Pakistan. The same survey found that employers and employees have a lack of common understanding about future skills and the best way to develop them. In some cases, there is also a mismatch between what employers want and what employees see as being important. Addressing these gaps will be crucial to creating a workforce that is prepared for the economy of the future.

Infrastructure obstacles such as inequitable internet access and a lack of sufficient digital skills training have slowed the pace of digitalization in Pakistan. Although the country has made significant strides in digital penetration in recent years. Additionally, only 38 million out of a total of 182 million mobile subscriptions belong to women. This could be a result of the low female literacy rate (48%), which is far below the overall literacy rate of around 60%. The female labor force participation rate is also among the lowest globally, at 25%, and women are mostly employed in the informal sector.

Government-led Initiatives to Bridge the skills gap in Pakistan

Amid these challenges, the Pakistani government has prioritized digitalization and implemented initiatives to close the existing skills gap. For instance, the Digital Pakistan roadmap, introduced in 2018, outlines a number of policies and initiatives to help the economy realize US$59.7 billion in annual value by 2030. The policy targets the upskilling and reskilling of young graduates and the existing workforce to support the country’s growing digital economy and help spur freelance IT sector exports. The government hopes to reach US$3 billion in freelance IT exports by 2024, up from US$2.12 billion in 2021.

One of the most promising initiatives to bridge the skills gap in Pakistan is the e-rozgaar program, a government-funded platform that provides online training to budding freelancers. The program offers courses in areas such as digital marketing, content writing, and graphic design. Since its inception in 2017, the program has trained over 60,000 students, with 58% of graduates being women. The success of the e-rozgaar program is a testament to the importance of government-led initiatives in upskilling the workforce and closing the skills gap. Apart from government-led initiatives, there are also a number of private-sector initiatives aimed at promoting digital upskilling in Pakistan. For instance, the National Incubation Center (NIC) is a technology incubator that provides startups with mentorship, training, and funding opportunities.

Conclusion:

Google’s commitment to uplifting Pakistan’s digital landscape is highly commendable. Pakistani citizens especially from the rural areas can reap huge benefits by earning these certificates. You can visit this link to apply for the scholarship offered by IRM.

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