Digital skills, human capital growth: Pakistan, US agree to further strengthen cooperation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United States on Monday agreed to further strengthen cooperation in digital skills development and human capital growth as part of broader efforts to support Pakistan’s digital transformation and technology-driven economic development.

The understanding was reached during a meeting between Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja and a visiting US delegation comprising representatives from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA).

During the meeting, discussions focused on expanding collaboration in digital literacy, advanced technical skills, youth capacity-building and overall human capital development within Pakistan’s rapidly growing digital ecosystem.

The minister briefed the delegation on large-scale, future-oriented skills development initiatives being launched by the Ministry of IT and Telecom through the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) to prepare Pakistani youth for global technology markets. She said the programmes include high-end training aligned with international industry standards in 5G technologies, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, data analytics and full-stack programming, along with specialised certification tracks in web engineering, artificial intelligence and cloud computing.

She shared that under Ignite’s DigiSkills programme, more than 4.87 million individuals have already been trained in freelancing, digital marketing, e-commerce and artificial intelligence, expanding employment opportunities for youth and strengthening economic linkages between Pakistan and the United States through platforms such as Fiverr and Upwork.

Highlighting advanced technology training, the minister said Ignite’s Code4AI programme will train over 7,500 young professionals in artificial intelligence, blockchain and quantum computing, creating additional opportunities for US companies to hire skilled Pakistani talent remotely.

She also noted that Ignite regularly conducts national cybersecurity hackathons, involving thousands of students and professionals in ethical hacking, secure coding and cyber defence competitions. She proposed collaboration with ECA on international competitions, mentorship and capacity-building initiatives in the cybersecurity domain.

The minister further informed the delegation that Ignite has established a Centre of Excellence for Gaming and Animation (CEGA) to develop skills in animation, gaming, AR/VR and digital content creation, adding that there is significant potential for joint training programmes and trainer-exchange initiatives with US institutions.

She said that through eight National Incubation Centres (NICs) across the country, Ignite has supported over 2,100 startups, which have generated more than Rs 33 billion in revenue, attracted over Rs 32 billion in investment, and created employment opportunities for more than 185,000 people.

Members of the US delegation briefed the minister on American exchange and leadership programmes including Fulbright, IVLP, PFP, YES, TechWomen, TechGirls, and English Access and Virtual Exchange, which promote education, leadership and innovation.

Both sides agreed to strengthen university partnerships with US institutions, enabling American professors to provide advanced technology training to Pakistani students, with a focus on expanding academic collaboration, talent development and sustainable digital growth.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025