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The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Technology Board (KP IT Board) in collaboration with the World Bank has launched the KP Youth Employment Program (KP YEP) today.
Basically an integrated digital skills initiative — the “KP Youth Employment Program: Digital Skills for All” will be providing digital skills training for the youth, as much as 10,000 individuals, generating worthy professional opportunities for them.
Courses that would be offered in the program would consist of modules that will help youth create customized learning pathways needed to access digital opportunities, both in Pakistan and internationally. Courses will range from basic and introductory levels to advanced levels and create the building blocks of a digital education. For example, for engineers there will be courses on Internet of Things device development; and for existing freelancers’ courses on Business Communication that could help them develop more effective and persuasive online profiles. There will be in-person trainings, as well as the course content would be available at one’s place, using an online learning management system platform.
As Pakistan’s first digital skills platform, YEP also offers the opportunity for qualified trainers, teachers and experts to offer customized courses through the YEP platform. Courses can be advertised to a wide range of youth interested in learning digital skills, and the location, timing, final participant list and cost can be determined by trainers. However, the first set of core courses will be offered for free.
“As a former university professor myself, I know the challenges that our fresh graduates go through. And as the Managing Director of the IT Board, I firmly believe the digital economy has the potential to absorb many of these graduates and provide them decent paying work if they have the right skills. KP YEP is our effort to create the skilled workforce of the future and connect them to the jobs of the future,” the Managing Director of KPITB Dr. Shahbaz Khan said in a report.
Applications will be open through September 14th, as the IT Board wants to understand the initial set of demand for courses per district. Trainings are expected to commence in late September. Using the “blended learning” approach, at least 7,000 KP residents (70% of those trained) are expected to receive certifications in a variety of digital skills by August 2018. The residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa can apply for the program by visiting the KP YEP website. The unemployed graduates and women, are encouraged to apply.
“KP YEP: Digital Skills for All” is basically has been developed on the success of a previous program. The program encompasses the feedback gained from the a program that trained over 4500 young people in the province on online freelancing platforms in 2016. Recognizing that the need for digital skills is rapidly evolving, and that Pakistan’s digital transformation will require innumerable digital skills, YEP has expanded its scope to focus on supporting digital skills more broadly, and to create an adaptable and flexible solution to the evolving needs for digital skills.
This project is a part of a larger World Bank initiative, “Digital KP”, and the World Bank itself is providing technical assistance to KPITB. Digital KP is basically aimed at expanding internet access, developing digital skills, improving digital governance, and promoting the digital economy in the province. KP YEP is a key initiative under the skills and economy pillars.
For more information, please visit the FAQ section of KP YEP website.
