Ministry of IT & Telecom with Ignite Produces 30 Engineers at FAST-NUCES University IC Design & Verification Programme

Ignite, under the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT), celebrated the graduation ceremony of its Integrated Circuit (IC) Design and Verification Training and Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) Programme in collaboration with FAST-NUCES University, with the successful completion of a 10-month initiative to develop Pakistan’s semiconductor talent.

Implemented by the ICD Lab at the Islamabad Campus of FAST-NUCES, the fully funded programme provided hands-on training in advanced IC design, VLSI verification, System-on-Chip (SoC) architectures, and industry-standard semiconductor design tools.

Speaking on the occasion, Federal Minister for IT and Telecom, Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja, said,

“The initiative reflects the Government’s commitment, under Prime Minister, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif’s Digital Nation Pakistan vision, to prepare Pakistani youth for high-value careers in advanced technologies. I am proud to see ten women engineers graduating from this programme and hope that women continue to contribute to Pakistan’s digital transformation agenda. “

The graduating cohort from twenty diverse districts included a total of thirty engineers including 10 women and achieved a 100% trainee completion rate. The applications were finalized through a nationwide merit-based process and more than 70% of graduates have already secured employment offers.

Chief Executive Officer of Ignite, Muhammad Bilal Abbasi said,

“The programme demonstrates that Pakistani engineers can compete globally when provided with world-class training and industry exposure. The strong employment outcomes highlight the growing demand for Pakistan’s technology talent.”

The programme witnessed overwhelming national interest, attracting more than 1000 applications through extensive outreach efforts conducted across all provinces including ICT, AJK and Gilgit Baltistan. Additionally, FAST-NUCES exhibited its commitment to the programme by sponsoring an extra 10% participants with the university’s educational funds. with no additional expense to students.

The Rector at FAST-NUCES, Dr. Aftab Ahmed Maroof, said,

“The ICD Lab has graduated seven batches of IC Design engineers since 2019 and has earned international recognition; securing six of the top ten positions at an IEEE competition. The ICD Lab now trains engineers from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Oman.”

Ignite acknowledged the contributions of FAST-NUCES, its faculty, industry experts, and mentors for their role in delivering the programme, and reaffirmed its commitment to building Pakistan’s technology workforce through sustained investments in emerging fields such as Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Semiconductor Design.

As Pakistan accelerates its digital transformation, initiatives such as the IC Design and Verification Programme are laying the foundation for a globally competitive semiconductor talent pipeline. By equipping young engineers with cutting-edge skills and connecting them to high-value employment opportunities, Ignite and the Ministry of IT & Telecom are helping position Pakistan as an emerging contributor to the global semiconductor ecosystem and a destination for advanced technology innovation.

Also Read: Ignite and Mobilink Bank Partner to Establish National Incubation Center Sialkot