What is Digiskills ? Why Digiskills ? Who should join Digiskills ?

What is Digiskills?

The advent of new ICT technologies has opened up a whole range of new opportunities for knowledge workers worldwide by enabling them to provide their services away from customers. Using these ICT technologies, a much-needed new economy is being created, in which craftsmanship is divided into different divisions and given a visible cloud of aspiring workers. The industry, commonly referred to as the internet release, is expected to generate service revenue between $ 15 billion to $ 25 billion by 2020.

A large part of this online extraction industry is taken up by people with the necessary and appropriate skills to complete these temporary assignments and project or contract work. Millions of people worldwide take advantage of this opportunity to earn a living by working comfortably in their own homes. The trend is expected to grow as the creative destruction caused by the fourth wave of the industry continues to disrupt business processes and models.

Pakistan is the fourth largest provider of online freelancers, with an estimated registered number of online freelancers ranging from several hundred thousand. Many works are done for overseas customers; therefore, their income is brought into the country, especially foreign currency. Although the exact details of the contributions made by the private sector are not available, estimates range from $ 500 Million to $ 1.3 Billion annually.

This figure is only a fraction of the country's power. With a growing population, increasing internet connectivity, broadband penetration, young and educated youth, thousands of IT graduates, and millions of university students, Pakistan could increase independent individuals. This will help bring in foreign exchange to the country, and more importantly, reduce unemployment as the number of new graduates passing each year far exceeds the number of new jobs created.

Therefore, this national Digital Skills (DigiSkills) national skills training program, developed by the Minister of IT and Telecom, has been launched nationwide to provide one (1) million training for a future career using technology. The Virtual University of Pakistan has been selected to undertake the mega training program under the Department of Technology and Telecommunications auspices through the Ignite- National Technology Fund (formerly the National ICT R&D Fund). The DigiSkills program aims to empower our youth, freelancers, students, housewives, academics, etc. With the knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques needed to seize the opportunities available worldwide in online and local markets for a decent life.

The program aims to develop important specialized skills and provide information on various independent skills and other employment and business opportunities available internationally and locally. Given the reduced job opportunities, future employees must have the necessary knowledge and skills to access those opportunities. This is intended to be achieved through a national program, which will train audiences targeted for independent use and other special skills listed below:

•   Freelancing
•   E-Commerce Management
•   Digital Marketing
•   Digital Literacy
•   QuickBooks
•   AutoCAD
•   WordPress
•   Graphic Design
•   Creative Writing
•   SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Why Digiskill?

The DigiSkills project aims to provide millions of trainers to build a strong workforce for the future formed by the Fourth Industrial Wave, characterized by technology, technology, and initiative. In our economy and others, we have already seen that companies have started outsourcing important services such as HR, marketing, accounting, etc., and the willingness to provide the services that companies were required to operate internally. That is where the first step comes in. The freelance market is full of diverse and talented people who need to stay current and always want to learn and grow their tool kit. Training and education is an ongoing process for success.

It is hoped that the location in Pakistan's high-quality digital labor market will help e-commerce, allowing Pakistani goods to be sold internally and externally. Everything from technical skills to fine leather and furniture can be marketed and exported using digital skills. Bringing young women and girls into this digital market will increase the size of the local economy and increase competition, address growing needs, and allow more families to meet their educational, health, and lifestyle needs.

The program aims to increase:

•   Number of individuals working as freelancers in the country
•   Number of hours worked per freelancer
•   Earnings per hour or project for freelancers
•   Household incomes
•   Financial inclusion
•   IT exports
•   Number of experts in specialized skills

Who Should join Digiskills?

The DigiSkills Program aims to equip youth, freelancers, students, professionals, etc., with the knowledge, skills, tools & techniques necessary to seize the opportunities available in online job market places internationally and locally to earn a living or to supplement their income.