Google Career Certificates 2.0 Official Launch in Pakistan: Addressing the Digital Skills Gap and Empowering the Workforce

Fahd Haroon, Emphasized the Need for Courses on Business Intelligence, Advanced Data Analytics, and Cyber Security for Pakistani youth to Learn and become Part of the Global Workforce.

Islamabad, PK 9 May 2023 – Google, in partnership with TechValley and the Institute of Rural Management (IRM), officially launched Google Career Certificates 2.0 in Pakistan at a prestigious event attended by key figures from the government and the IT sector. The event was graced by Federal Minister for IT & Telecom Syed Amin Ul Haque, Mr. Fahd Haroon, Minister of State/Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Public Communication and Digital Platforms, and Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja, SAPM on Youth Affairs and Senior Google representatives from the region.

Mr. Fahd Haroon emphasized the need for training and skills development as priority areas, highlighting the significant gap in digital skills within the Pakistani workforce. He underscored the importance of digital skills in today’s economy and called for a collaborative approach between stakeholders, including Google, TechValley, IRM, the government, and educational institutions, to advance Pakistan’s digital workforce together.

Mr. Haroon expressed his gratitude to Google for creating 44,500 new scholarships, with a special emphasis on offering 50% of these scholarships to the female population in the country. He also acknowledged Google’s commitment to Pakistan’s digital growth by launching three new courses – Business Intelligence, Advanced Data Analytics, and Cyber Security.

Farhan Qureshi, Country Director, Google Pakistan, said, “We are proud to introduce digital skills along with soft skills courses for Pakistani talent to rise into this new world of technology, with a particular focus on women and youth.”

Pakistan has a working-age population of approximately 85.75 million, with a significant portion of the population under the age of 30. This young and growing workforce requires access to quality education and training opportunities to realize their potential and contribute to the country’s economic development.

Google Career Certificates 2.0, a program designed to make (aspiring) professionals job-ready in six months, was introduced at the event. The program aims to provide targeted skills training to help participants rapidly qualify for in-demand jobs. Industry experts and thought leaders also attended the launch, discussing strategies and initiatives for advancing Pakistan’s digital economy collectively.

During the event, Google presented various case studies and shared success stories of recently graduated professionals from the Google Career Certificate program in Pakistan. The program has already made a significant impact on the lives of many Pakistani professionals, equipping them with the necessary digital skills to excel in their careers and contribute to the country’s digital economy.

The Google Career Certificates 2.0 program is a testament to the importance of addressing the digital skills gap in Pakistan and empowering the workforce with the right tools and training. With the continued support of key stakeholders and the government, this program aims to create a brighter future for Pakistan’s digital workforce and economy.

The Future of Jobs Report 2023 shows that cognitive skills and management skills are the most critical skills required by the workforce, with 25% and 19% of organizations ranking them as essential, respectively. Other critical skills include technical skills, attitudes, and working with others, with 18%, 15%, and 9% of organizations ranking them as essential, respectively. The Report also shows that the skills required for reskilling focus on creative thinking, AI and big data, leadership and social influence, design and user experience, and analytical thinking, among others.