Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) and Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) have inked a landmark agreement to bridge the gap between academia and industry in the IT sector. This wide-ranging MoU aims to equip graduates with the necessary skills for a flourishing tech job market.
The signing ceremony, attended by Punjab IT Minister Dr. Arsalan Khalid, underscored the government’s support for a collaborative framework. Dr. Khalid emphasized the need to revamp skill-based criteria to better align graduates with market demands.
P@SHA Chairman Badar Khushnood stressed the importance of robust industry-academia linkages. He envisions this partnership fostering “innovative, market-oriented, evolving and internationally-aligned IT skills development.” This will cater to a diverse range of fields, including finance, e-commerce, healthcare, and manufacturing.
LUMS Vice Chancellor Dr. Arshad Ahmad hailed the MoU as a potential model for collaborative curriculum development. He believes this will strengthen Pakistan’s IT industry, positioning it for regional and global competition. Dr. Ahmad sees this as an opportunity to empower Pakistani youth with the skills they need to thrive in the tech sector.
The MoU paves the way for a series of joint activities, including seminars, workshops, exhibitions, conferences, and job fairs. This will provide students with valuable exposure and connect them with potential employers.
Pakistan’s IT industry holds immense potential, having already achieved $2.62 billion in exports last year. P@SHA estimates that digital transformation could add a staggering $59.7 billion to the annual GDP by 2030.
Despite boasting over 300,000 IT professionals and producing 25,000 graduates annually, the industry struggles to find skilled workers. IT companies only hire 10% of applicants. P@SHA views this partnership as a crucial step towards addressing this gap through targeted reskilling and upskilling initiatives.
This collaboration signifies a promising step forward for Pakistan’s IT sector. By equipping graduates with industry-relevant skills and fostering stronger industry-academia ties, this MoU has the potential to unlock significant growth and empower the nation’s young tech talent.
