E-commerce workforce roadmap urged

Pakistan's e-commerce sector may hold the promise of generating thousands of jobs over the next five years, but industry experts warn that this potential will remain unrealised unless the government urgently addresses major structural challenges, chief among them is the severe shortage of skilled professionals, fragmented training systems, and the absence of a unified national roadmap for workforce development.

Despite rapid digital adoption and the upcoming E-Commerce Policy 2.0, they caution that Pakistan risks falling short of its ambitious growth targets without immediate investment in human capital, sector-specific skills, and modern logistics and payment infrastructure.

Industry experts have highlighted that Pakistan's e-commerce and allied sectors hold significant potential to create thousands of job opportunities over the next five years, urging the government to develop a comprehensive roadmap for skill development and human resource training to achieve broader sectoral goals.

The government is currently finalising the approval process for E-Commerce Policy 2.0, which comprises five strategic pillars aimed at providing a coherent framework to modernise Pakistan's digital commerce ecosystem and position the country as a competitive player in the global digital economy. However, several experts believe that the policy should also prioritise workforce development, as e-commerce requires specialised skills distinct from those of the traditional IT industry. Without a clear direction, they warned, the sector's targets may not be met on time.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Dr Noman Said, CEO of SI Global Solutions, an IT export company, said that transforming traditional commerce into e-commerce requires the development of logistics infrastructure and the integration of innovative payment systems. However, he added, workforce capacity building through skill development and training remains the most crucial factor for driving sectoral growth at an accelerated pace.

He noted that e-commerce is a multidisciplinary ecosystem combining sales, marketing, technology, and operations, requiring professionals to possess skills in data literacy, customer empathy, and cross-departmental collaboration, which is quite different from the IT sector; hence, it should be addressed specifically. Dr Said suggested that the government design specialised training programmes and courses to develop skills tailored to the needs of e-commerce and its subfields, in line with both domestic and international market demands.

According to recent government estimates, more than 700,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan are now operating online, primarily through social media storefronts and digital trading platforms. The majority of these businesses cater to the domestic market.

Shoaib Bhatti, President of the Pakistan eCommerce Association's Karachi Chapter, stated that the demand for skilled human resources across various e-commerce disciplines is high. However, there remains a shortage of qualified professionals due to the limited availability of quality education and training institutions across the country.

He noted that Pakistan's e-commerce industry has grown significantly over the past 10 to 12 years, driven largely by the influence of both local and international online marketplaces that set new trends in the domestic market and trained human resources in Pakistan. While well-known and emerging local brands, from large manufacturers to small-scale traders, are increasingly adopting e-commerce, the lack of adequately skilled personnel continues to pose a major challenge, he added.

Pakistan's e-commerce market is currently valued at around $5 billion, and the forthcoming E-Commerce Policy 2.0 aims to boost this figure to $20 billion by 2030. This anticipated growth is expected to generate employment opportunities across the broader e-commerce ecosystem, including digital marketing, payment operations, supply chain management, logistics, and customer experience.

Hafiza Sidra Javid, a digital marketing and SEO specialist, said that e-commerce in Pakistan was being driven by digital marketing as a core skill of the field to drive sales and the rest of the business cycle. The digital market plays a pivotal role in expanding Pakistan's e-commerce landscape within domestic and cross-border trade, including the adoption of digital payments among consumers, she added. Hence, specialised courses and bootcamps in digital marketing to support e-commerce under its multiple skill development programmes are essential.

She underscored the importance of equipping young people with digital marketing skills, which can help businesses attract customers, generate leads, and convert engagement into sales and sustainable growth. "As sales through social media platforms increase, the demand for payment processing and logistics services also grows, leading to further job creation in the future," she added.

At present, the growing volume of trade conducted through online marketplaces and social media platforms continues to drive overall e-commerce activity in Pakistan, while also encouraging consumers to make online payments, which are often incentivised through discounts and promotional offers.