The government is ramping up efforts to empower the youth through skill development initiatives, according to Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Program, Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan.

Speaking at a seminar on Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Islamabad today, Khan highlighted the significant strides made under the Skill Development Programme, which has grown into one of the country”s largest initiatives.

Khan emphasized the success of the “Digital Youth Hub” portal, an online platform designed to connect young people with opportunities. He reported that over 600,000 young individuals have registered on the portal to date. The platform has achieved a record with two million downloads and attracted over 700,000 local and international companies, underscoring its widespread appeal and efficacy.

In his address, Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training, Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, stressed the importance of leveraging Pakistan”s youthful demographic. Noting that 64% of the population is under 30, he described this as a potent demographic advantage. However, he also pointed out the pressing challenge: with two to three million youths entering the labor market annually, the national training capacity falls short at around 400,000.

Dr. Siddiqui reiterated the government”s commitment to addressing this critical gap, aiming to enhance training opportunities and align them with market needs. This approach, he suggested, is vital for harnessing the demographic dividend effectively and ensuring sustainable economic growth.