LAHORE, Nov 08 (APP):Former President of the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Iftikhar Ali Malik on Sunday called for aligning Pakistan’s education and vocational training systems with emerging industry requirements to prepare the workforce for opportunities in information technology and artificial intelligence. In a statement issued here, he said Pakistan needed to bridge the gap between academic education and practical skills to meet global challenges and strengthen its industrial …
Iftikhar Ali Malik calls for aligning education with IT, AI requirements
LAHORE, Nov 08 (APP):Former President of the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Iftikhar Ali Malik on Sunday called for aligning Pakistan’s education and vocational training systems with emerging industry requirements to prepare the workforce for opportunities in information technology and artificial intelligence.
In a statement issued here, he said Pakistan needed to bridge the gap between academic education and practical skills to meet global challenges and strengthen its industrial and export sectors. He noted that expanding university enrollment alone would not be sufficient unless graduates also possessed technical expertise, analytical thinking, communication skills, and adaptability to rapidly changing technologies.
He urged treating education as an economic strategy, emphasizing that industrial development, export growth, and technological advancement depended heavily on a skilled and productive workforce.
Referring to the IT sector, Iftikhar Ali Malik highlighted that Pakistan’s IT and IT-enabled services exports reached $4.6 billion during the last fiscal year, including $1.76 billion earned by freelancers. He stated that flexible vocational courses, workplace-based training, and accessible digital programmes could help millions in low-productivity occupations improve their employment prospects.
He urged employers to contribute through apprenticeship and workforce development programmes, while stressing that the government should ensure affordable access to skills training.
