DigiSkills announces the first batch of 1M trained freelancers

The national Digital Skills (DigiSkills) training program has launched across the country to equip 1 million youth with digital skills. The launching ceremony of DigiSkills First Batch was held on July 19th where great participation of students, women and freelancers was observed.

The DigiSkill is Pakistan’s largest online, free training program, aimed at equipping Pakistani youth, freelancers, students, housewives, professionals, with knowledge, skills, tools and techniques necessary to grab the opportunities available nationally and internationally in online marketplaces to earn a decent living. To execute this mega training program, Virtual University of Pakistan has been selected with the support of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecom through Ignite- National Technology Fund.

The training courses are available at a user-friendly web portal and a comprehensive online Learning Management System at all times. Students can register in their desired courses free of cost and learn online through video lectures at their own convenience and pace. An online mechanism has also been developed to engage students and track their performance through intelligent assessment.

Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecom, Mr. Yusuf Shaikh expressed his enthusiasm for this initiative by saying “DigiSkills is especially designed to equip participants with necessary knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to take maximum advantage of the opportunities available for freelancing, employment and entrepreneurship. Through this program, we aspire to become number one in freelancing in the world.”

Mr. Hussain was delighted to report that DigiSkills had surpassed its enrollment targets by 250 percent and had crossed 55,000 enrollments.

CEO Ignite Yusuf Hussain on the first batch induction ceremony said, “DigiSkills is envisioned to become the Coursera of Pakistan. It is unique in terms of engaging and relevant content, online coaches and data analytics to increase trainee retention and course completion”.

“We are making efforts to support and reach out to the underprivileged, through partnership with @MobilinkPak @PTCLOfficial @telenorpakistan @Akhuwat Foundation and investment group in UK”, Said Yusuf Hussain, CEO #Ignite! #DigiSkillsPk pic.twitter.com/RIPtsGpaSl

— DigiSkills.pk (@digiskillspak) July 20, 2018

There are a total of seven batches planned under the program, the first training batch will start on August 1st where around 20,000 people from all over Pakistan will take the course. The program will train the audience in freelancing and other specialized skills including: