MoITT Asks Google To Augment Career Certificate Scholarships To 450,000

Shazia Mehboob

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) Syed Amin-Ul-Haque urged Google to increase the number of scholarships available to Pakistanis from 44,500 to 450,000.

Google, in collaboration with partners IRM and Tech Valley, will give out a total of 44,500 Google Career Certificates to women and young graduates by the end of 2023.

Google’s programmes of skill development in emerging technologies and soft skills are very much aligned with the vision of the Ministry of IT Syed Amin-Ul-Haque said.

Google Country Director for Pakistan Farhan Qureshi said, “Google is committed to helping build an inclusive digital economy in Pakistan through its programmes, products, and services and to investing in equipping Pakistani talent with the digital skills needed to grow and succeed.”

Farhan stated that as the number three freelance economy in the world, Pakistan’s digital skills are highly sought after.

Addressing the Google Career Certificates 2.0 launching ceremony organised by Google Asia Pacific, Amin-Ul-Haque said that in this era of digitalization, limited skills are never enough; young people need to stay updated with the fast-paced, trendy world.

Minister Amin stated that in pursuit of the government’s objective to increase IT exports, the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication has collaborated with both public and private sector stakeholders to set a goal of 100 percent export growth in the coming years.

“Achieving this target requires skilled youth trained in the latest technologies to meet the demands of the market,” the MoITT Federal Minister added.

This year, Google has announced three highly demanded courses, including business intelligence, advanced data analytics, and cyber security. These programmes will ensure that Pakistanis are ready for the future of the Pakistani job economy, Minister Haque added.

The minister said that the government’s focus is on women and urban youth, both of whom are underrepresented and in need of these skills and certifications.

In 2022, Google, in collaboration with partners IRM and Ignite, gave out 15,000 scholarships to Pakistanis. Google Career Certificates focused on six in-demand areas related to digital, including IT support, project management, data analysis, UX design, IT automation, digital marketing, and e-commerce.

The online programme covers critical topics including communication skills, personal branding, time management, and critical thinking. It will take 4 weeks to complete the programme, which also includes practical assignments and homework. The curriculum is designed by Google and will be delivered by IRM and TechValley.