Google to offer 15k career certificate scholarships for Pakistanis

Islamabad: Google will offer 15,000 career certificate scholarships for Pakistanis through local partners including education institutions, industry partners and non-profits to earn a certificate at no cost.

The tech giant has launched career certificates to offer flexible learning paths for all Pakistanis to enable learners to develop their knowledge and acquire digital skills for in-demand jobs.

In its mission to Unlock Pakistan’s Digital Potential, Google has also reinforced its commitment to enable an equitable and inclusive digital economy by offering 15,000 scholarships by this year through local partners – IRM and Ignite, comprising education institutions, industry partners and nonprofits.

A report by Alpha Beta found that if leveraged fully, digital technologies could create up to PKR 9.7 Trillion (USD 59.7 Billion) worth of economic value annually in Pakistan by 2030.   Pakistan’s ICT sector has witnessed remarkable growth over the past decade, boasting an average annual revenue growth rate of 20-30%.

ICT-related exports currently exceed US$5 billion, and the Ministry of IT & Telecommunication believes the sector has the potential to become the [nation’s] largest export industry in the coming years.

Currently, roughly 4.7% of Pakistan’s labor force is employed in the ICT sector, of which 6% or ~200,000 workers are women. The ICT sector also has the largest number of job vacancies, based on data from Pakistan’s leading job portal, Rozee.pk.

Farhan Qureshi, Google’s Regional Director for Pakistan, Bangladesh & Sri Lanka, said “We are proud to announce the launch of Google Career Certificates, a program under the umbrella of Grow with Google. In partnership with IRM and Ignite, we are also providing scholarships for 15,000 learners to earn certificates at no cost.”

He said the endeavour reflects the commitment of Google to playing a vital role in order to ensure the growth of the country’s digital ecosystem. The certification program will provide new opportunities, allowing developers, students, teachers, job seekers, and businesses to grow exponentially.

Partnerships are built with both the public and private sector as we aim to uplift the digital industry in Pakistan, said the Google regional director. Available on the online education platform Coursera, Google Career Certificates are self-paced online training programmes that enable learners with no prior experience or a degree to unlock new job opportunities in 6 areas – data analytics, IT support, IT automation, project management, UX Design, and digital marketing & E-commerce.

Each certificate is created by Google’s in-house experts and designed to equip learners with fundamental skills through hands-on learning, allowing them to progress at their own pace while studying or working.  Data Science Trainee at Institute of Engineering Career, Syeda Dur-e-Hassan Rizvi said “Although challenges and obstacles may stand in the way, it’s crucial to persevere if you want to succeed.”

After dipping my toes into the world of data, he said he have now finished the Google data analytics certification. “It is a fantastic learning opportunity. I feel more confident and ready to learn and grow more,” he added. Assistant Professor, Dept. of CS Bahria University Lahore Campus, Muhammad Zunnurain Hussain said “This certification has greatly impacted my professional life; I have been recognized globally, and have started receiving job offers from across the globe. Sky is the limit.”

For more information on Career Certificates and the scholarships, please visit https://goo.gle/Gccpkschola