The issue of unemployed graduates is not new and has been a persistent problem for years, however, it has become more alarming in recent times as the number of university graduates continues to increase but job opportunities remain limited.
According to a recent report by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the unemployment rate among those with a university degree is currently at 6.5%, compared to the overall unemployment rate of 6%. This suggests that graduates are facing a disproportionately high level of unemployment compared to those without higher education.
The problem is particularly acute for those with degrees in certain fields, such as the arts and humanities. Graduates in these fields often find themselves unable to find jobs in their chosen field, and are forced to take on low-paying, unskilled work in order to make ends meet. This is a sad reality for many young people who have invested a significant amount of time and money in their education, only to find that their degrees are not providing them with the opportunities they were hoping for.
The root cause of this problem is a lack of job opportunities in Pakistan, particularly in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The country has a rapidly expanding economy, but it is not creating enough jobs to keep pace with the number of graduates entering the workforce. This is partly due to the fact that many businesses in Pakistan are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that lack the resources to hire large numbers of employees. Additionally, the country has a growing population, which is putting pressure on the job market.
Another contributing factor is the mismatch between the skills that graduates possess and the skills that employers are looking for. Many graduates in Pakistan are not equipped with the practical skills and knowledge that are required for the jobs that are currently available in the market. This is partly due to the fact that the education system in Pakistan is not sufficiently geared towards equipping students with the skills that are needed for the job market. Many universities and colleges are still focused on traditional teaching methods that do not adequately prepare students for the real world.
The government has acknowledged the problem and has announced plans to create more job opportunities in the country. These plans include initiatives to promote entrepreneurship, encourage foreign investment, and increase access to credit for small and medium-sized businesses. Additionally, the government is investing in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) to improve the skills of young people and make them more employable.
However, many experts believe that these efforts will not be enough to address the scale of the problem. A lot more needs to be done to create more job opportunities for graduates, especially in the fields of STEM. The government should be investing more in research and development, as well as in infrastructure and education, in order to create an environment that is conducive to innovation and economic growth.
The private sector also has a role to play in addressing the unemployment crisis among graduates in Pakistan. Businesses should be investing more in human capital and providing training and development opportunities for their employees. Additionally, they should be working more closely with universities and colleges to ensure that graduates are equipped with the skills that are needed for the job market.
Education institutions also have a responsibility to ensure that their students are well-prepared for the job market. They should be working more closely with businesses to ensure that their curriculum is aligned with the needs of the job market. Additionally, they should be providing more opportunities for students to gain practical experience and exposure to the real world
As an educator I see the Pakistan’s education apart from receiving meagre funding due to a disproportionate high defence budget has two major flaws. It’s aimed at training a nation to run before it can crawl. So falling flat on the face is not an unexpected outcome.
First flaw is that universal primary and secondary education for all school going age children is a must and the topmost priority of a state. An uneducated person is a missed opportunity and cannot be part of any useful workforce either academic or technical. So straight away 60 percent of children have been neglected. Let’s not even talk about the standard of our primary and secondary education for the 40 percent who are lucky to have middle or upper class parents who don’t have to rely on the state. In UK that has universal education anyone will probably be jailed as a parent if he or she fails to send kids to school as social workers will soon pick it up. It’s a crime against a child and severe state failure and parental neglect.
Second flaw is that the 40 percent who are lucky to receive secondary education of some dubious standard do not receive any career advice and have to follow stereotypical STEM preferences and only humanities if unable to gain a STEM entry to Intermediate and higher education. This creates a workforce of graduates that a looking for white collared jobs and due to poor practical and generic skills are basically just pen pushers. Majority realise the market realities when they graduate and desperately seek to venture abroad to get some real education and would not return to a toad in the well situation, once reflected upon what is happening back home. Secondly, all professions need smart people to join them to raise its standard. This period of the “rise of guilds” where all key professional standard bodies were established and received royal patronage or chartership are needed to achieve success and excellence.
I am glad that due to market forces educated people are choosing to take up unskilled jobs instead of staying unemployed as this can add to innovation to other sectors apart from STEM. TVET is very effective way of repairing these flaws and should be no shame for all unemployed graduates. It’s said that “الكاسب و حبيب الله ” and believe me TVET will do wonders for our nation. So do not sit on your education and get your hands dirty.