Islamabad: In an assertive move to enhance youth employment equality, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed the development of a coordinated action plan that aims to ensure equal employment opportunities for young Pakistanis. The directive came during a meeting focused on the Prime Minister’s Youth Program held in Islamabad.
According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Prime Minister Sharif emphasized that providing employment opportunities to the youth is a top priority of his government. He tasked the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission with developing employment-oriented training programs and conducting a detailed survey of the job market to align skills training with priority sectors.
The meeting highlighted various initiatives under the Prime Minister’s Youth Program, including the impending finalization of the National Youth Employment Policy 2024. This policy aims to furnish decent job opportunities for young people and increase female participation in the workforce.
Furthermore, it was revealed that under the Prime Minister’s laptop scheme, six hundred thousand laptops have already been distributed to young individuals based on merit, with an additional one hundred thousand set to be distributed this year.
Significant outcomes from the Youth Skills Development Program were also discussed, with sixty-four percent of trained youths reportedly securing decent employment over the past three years. Moreover, one hundred startups funded under the PM National Innovation Award are slated for placement in designated incubation centers nationwide.
Additionally, the meeting covered the launch of ten international standard sports academies and a biomechanical laboratory under the PM Youth Sports League, set to begin operations this year. Under the Prime Minister Green Youth Program, two hundred sixty-eight universities will engage in training youth on climate change prevention and eco-innovation.
The session concluded with an update on the PM Digital Hub, designed as a one-window operation dashboard to streamline services and support for the youth.