ISLAMABAD - Ministry of Information Technology (MoIT) has started the most important implementation phase of a large scale National Digital Skills (DigiSkills) Training Programme, introduced to equip the youth with modern skills to earn a decent living.
The basic idea behind this Programme is to train one million people across the country over a period of around two years.
Official sources on Friday said the MoIT through its organization Ignite (previously known as ICT R&D Fund) has already started receiving proposals to perform a Digital Skills Training Programme for the youth of society and for other eager learners. The sources said the Programme is aimed at equipping our youth, freelancers, students, professionals, etc. with knowledge, skills, tools & techniques necessary to seize opportunities available internationally in online jobs market places and also locally. The other aim is to make a workforce that is motivated by fourth industrial revolution in future.
The sources said due to limited employment opportunities, it is essential for upcoming workforce to have necessary knowledge and abilities to grab such opportunities. This has been envisaged to be achieved through this national level programme to train target audiences in freelancing and other specialized skills.
Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunications, Anusha Rehman had said the Ministry is in process of developing a portal through Ignite that cannot only teach about the latest technical advancements but also act as a market place.
The platform will also help bolster and support the cottage industry in Pakistan.
The need for developing coding skills, from a young age, is the need of the hour since programming is the future, she said and added for a better future, "We need to start teaching programming at the age of 4."
"It is our responsibility to provide our kids with all the happiness that they deserve and it is only possible if we equip them with the skills they're going to need for a successful future," she said.
The Minister said, "We will train women with the required technological skills to enable them to earn from home."
Regarding the Digi Skills platform, the Minister said, "It is right time to develop new skills in new technologies and with this programme we are going to train one million people across the country."
Anusha Rehman said programmes like these are need of the hour in a country with such a huge population.