KARACHI:
A high population and limited opportunities are two of the main reasons for Pakistan’s unemployment dilemma. Each year, many young graduates enter the job market, but most remain unemployed due to limited vacancies. Another issue is a mismatch in the skillset of graduates and the demand of employers.
The absence of career counselling in educational institutes has further aggravated the issue. Most students are more inclined to pursue medicine or engineering. But, there is already an excess supply of both doctors and engineers in the country. Students are unaware of the existing and emerging fields and have little guidance from their professors or institutes. Increased rural-to-urban migration and high illiteracy rates have also resulted in an excess supply of unskilled labour.
To tackle the growing unemployment problem, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Commission should work together to improve industry-academia linkages as this will provide students with exposure to different fields. They will gain work experience during their studies and will be familiarised with the demands of the industry, which will enhance their employability. In addition, career counselling should be introduced in schools and colleges to inform students about the different fields from a young age. Training and vocational facilities should be created, which are accessible and affordable for all as this can allow unskilled labour to develop skills and seek formal employment.
Sabeeha Ramzan
Sheikhupura
Published in The Express Tribune, February 12th, 2023.
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