Islamabad, Jan 3: The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, in collaboration with Huawei, launched the ICT Training Portal on Friday to enhance IT skills among youth. Minister of State for Information Technology, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, highlighted the portal’s significance in fostering a digitally competent workforce, contributing to Pakistan’s growth in the global IT sector.
Khawaja explained that the portal would offer free online training to young men and women interested in improving their IT skills, to make them eligible for jobs and aid the country’s development. She emphasized the importance of training Pakistan’s youth, as over 150 million people in the country are under 30, and a skilled youth workforce is crucial for economic growth.
She also referenced the initiatives under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision, including the launch of E-Rozgar centers and E-libraries in Punjab. Furthermore, the prime minister’s agreement with Huawei aims to train 300,000 youth annually, with over 17,000 students already benefiting from this initiative.
The training will cover a wide range of IT and other courses, equipping youth with skills for the future. The minister also announced the creation of a National IT Skills Committee to oversee IT skills development in Pakistan, including representatives from all IT boards and provincial IT ministries.
Additionally, Shaza Fatima Khawaja mentioned efforts to resolve a fault in the AAE-1 submarine cable near Qatar, which is impacting Pakistan’s internet connectivity, and assured that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is monitoring the situation closely.
