The seventh meeting of the National Committee on ICT Skills and Capacity Development, chaired by Federal Minister for IT and Telecom Shaza Fatima Khawaja, focused on accelerating efforts to expand ICT skills across Pakistan through stronger industry-academia partnerships. Participants agreed that closer collaboration with private technology firms and academic institutions is essential to produce job-ready graduates and meet industry demand for digital talent.
Officials highlighted progress under the current training initiative supported by Huawei, reporting that 100,000 ICT trainings have been completed so far. The committee reaffirmed an ambitious target of 300,000 ICT trainings, urging partners to scale up delivery and outreach to reach underserved regions and young people preparing to enter the workforce.
Special attention was given to improving employability for computer science students by integrating job-linked practical skills and internships before degree completion. Members emphasized that embedding emerging technologies into coursework will help students acquire the competencies employers need, making ICT skills a central pillar of modern technical education.
Representatives from the Ministry of IT and Telecom, the Secretary IT Gilgit-Baltistan, the Ministry of Education, the Higher Education Commission, Pakistan Software Export Board, PSDF, NUST, GIKI, Huawei and various TEVTA authorities attended the meeting and committed to coordinated action. The multi-stakeholder presence underscored the national priority placed on developing a skilled digital workforce.
Federal Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja urged all stakeholders to align initiatives with the Prime Minister’s Digital Pakistan vision and to prioritize the development of future-ready human resources. Strengthening links between industry and academia and expanding ICT skills training were presented as immediate steps to ensure Pakistan’s young workforce can meet the demands of a rapidly evolving tech sector.
