{
  "id": 9656220,
  "title": "Beyond traditional jobs: Why Sri Lanka needs to facilitate the gig economy",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/beyond-traditional-jobs-why-sri-lanka-needs-to-facilitate-the-gig",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-24T23:58:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Island Sri Lanka",
    "slug": "the-island-sri-lanka",
    "url": "http://island.lk/beyond-traditional-jobs-why-sri-lanka-needs-to-facilitate-the-gig-economy/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Sri Lanka faces a pressing challenge as youth unemployment remains alarmingly high at 43% among youth with postsecondary education, surpassing rates in other Asian nations. The problem lies in the disconnect between higher education qualifications and the evolving demands of the job market. Despite significant investment in education, many young Sri Lankans are left without income-generating opportunities. Their degrees, technical skills and growing digital proficiency do little to secure formal employment.\n\nTraditional employment models, rooted in employer-employee relationships, no longer suffice. In today's interconnected world, digital platforms are transforming how income can be generated. Individuals can now work for multiple clients across borders without permanent job security. Sri Lanka must therefore broaden its understanding of employment and consider how it can empower its educated youth to participate in the global digital service market.\n\nThe gig economy offers vast opportunities beyond ride-sharing and food delivery. Digital platforms are increasingly connecting skilled individuals with diverse digital service opportunities, such as software development, design, accounting, data analysis, digital marketing, translation, online education, research and consultancy. Given Sri Lanka's high youth education rate, these platforms can help bridge the gap between local talent and international demand, particularly in a country where the domestic market for specialized skills is limited.\n\nSri Lanka's digitally savvy generation, accustomed to smartphones, online learning, and digital tools, possesses a level of digital fluency unmatched by previous generations. However, digital familiarity alone does not guarantee employable skills. Transforming casual digital use into marketable competencies—such as data analysis, artificial intelligence, software development, digital marketing, financial analysis, and online professional services—is crucial. Universities, vocational institutions and training providers must play a pivotal role in translating existing digital familiarity into marketable skills that align with both domestic and international employment opportunities.\n\nRecognizing the gender dimension, the gig economy may offer particularly valuable flexibility for women who face barriers to conventional employment due to caregiving responsibilities, mobility issues, social expectations, and inflexible work arrangements. For many women, especially those living outside major urban centers, the flexibility of digital gig work can provide a means to earn income from home or nearby digital hubs, potentially serving international clients without relocating. This flexibility should augment women's economic choices rather than merely adding paid work to already demanding household responsibilities. By reducing commuting costs and offering project-based or part-time options, more flexible work arrangements can create additional employment opportunities while aiding households in managing their limited time and resources more effectively.\n\nUltimately, Sri Lanka should explore beyond traditional employment and migration as viable solutions. The gig economy presents a promising third path, offering a way to tap into the country's educated youth and digital expertise. By fostering a skilled workforce equipped to thrive in the digital economy, Sri Lanka can mitigate unemployment, stimulate economic growth, and diversify its export potential.",
  "summary": "by Kapila Chinthaka Premarathne Head of the Department of Agricultural Systems and a Senior Lecturer in Agricultural Economics at the Faculty of Agriculture, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka Beyond the Graduate Unemployment Number Sri Lanka’s economic recovery has improved macroeconomic stability, but youth unemployment remains a significant labour-market concern. Around 43% of Sri Lankan youth…",
  "key_points": [
    "Youth unemployment in Sri Lanka stands at 43% among postsecondary-educated youth.",
    "Gig economy offers diverse digital service opportunities beyond traditional jobs.",
    "Universities and training providers must equip youth with marketable digital skills."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Facilitating the gig economy can help Sri Lanka tap into its educated youth and digital expertise, mitigating unemployment, stimulating economic growth, and diversifying its export potential, especially for women and those with caregiving responsibilities.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}