LAHORE: The Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF) and Lahore School of Economics (LSE) have collaborated to create a unique digital skill development program that aims to train female students from select government colleges in high-demand digital courses while also understanding the underlying factors that prevent girls from taking up skills training programs.
The programme, which is part of PSDF’s specialized training areas Uraan and e-tayyar, aims to develop crucial digital skills among female learners to increase their employability and confidence.
What sets this pilot program apart is its focus on engaging both female students and their parents to identify the factors that prevent girls from accessing skills training programs and receiving an education.
The program seeks to address the low level of female participation in the job market by encouraging and supporting female labour force participation (FLFP) through evidence-based development programs that accelerate the socio-economic abilities of female citizens.
Head of Marketing and Communication at PSDF, Akbar Hussain, believes that this partnership is a step in the right direction. The pilot program will train 300 female students in digital skills, and students will receive a stipend upon successful completion of their training.
The success of the pilot programme will inform future plans to launch this program on a larger scale to benefit more women.
Studies have shown that lack of encouragement, family support, and adequate skills are among the factors that prevent women from entering the labour force and accessing income-generating opportunities.
In Punjab alone, around 44.5 million women are of working age, but only a quarter participate in the labour market. By understanding and addressing the underlying factors that prevent girls from accessing education and skills training programs, this innovative program aims to increase FLFP and ultimately improve the socio-economic status of women citizens in Pakistan.
