Skills development, labour market demand: ILO urges Pakistan to strengthen connection
ISLAMABAD: The International Labour Organization (ILO) has urged Pakistan to strengthen the connection between skills development and labour market demand to cope with the present market dynamics. At an event titled “Skills for a Shared Future” jointly organized by the ILO, the Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF) and the British Council, Geir Tonstol, ILO country director stressed that Pakistan…
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has urged Pakistan to strengthen the connection between skills development and labour market demand to tackle the country's current market dynamics. At an event titled "Skills for a Shared Future," the ILO emphasized the need for a new skills agenda to turn the country's youth potential into decent work.
Geir Tonstol, ILO country director, highlighted that Pakistan requires a training ecosystem that aligns with industry needs, supports innovation, and prepares young people for emerging jobs due to digitalization, artificial intelligence, climate change, and demographic shifts. The country has an estimated 46.3 million young people aged 15-24, with 12.8% unemployed, and 4.9 million having received technical or vocational training.
However, more needs to be done to ensure that these training efforts translate into sustainable employment, particularly for young women, and address structural constraints affecting enterprises and workers.
Brief written by urgent.news from Business Recorder's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
