Only 10% of IT graduates in Pakistan are employable: Gallup

According to a recent study conducted by Gallup, which is the country’s leading social research lab, software houses hire only 10 per cent of the graduates from lower-tier universities. The software houses with low-end IT services employ only 50 per cent of such graduates.

Research shows that Pakistan’s top universities generate 25,000 IT graduates, but only 5,000 get employed at top local IT companies. The other graduates simply do not meet the selection criteria as a result of their outdated education and lack of relevant skills.

Furthermore, there is a skill gap between graduates of high-tier and low-tier universities. The gap is widening due to the lack of nationwide IT skills training. The lack of fluency in communication has also been identified as a problem due to the lack of qualified teachers and modern curriculum.

“There is a need for Pakistan to focus on human capital related to technological innovations” states the research. The best way to boost employability, according to Gallup, is to impart skills upon graduates that are required by the IT industry and digital economy.

The IT Ministry is aware of it and thus been working on setting up an authority to boost the quality of IT curriculums. The hope is that across Pakistan, IT education can be brought up to global standards.