Pakistani youth face job crisis

Dawn reported that only seven per cent of young Pakistanis can reach structured technical and vocational courses, compared with a regional figure of 22pc. Citing the World Bank, the report puts the annual cost of this shortfall at $31.5 billion in lost output and forgone exports.

The discussion is part of the World Economic Forum's annual Global Future Leaders meeting, which began in Dubai on Tuesday, where Pakistan serves as a case study on closing the gap between schooling and jobs. Nearly a third of youth aged 15 to 29 are not in education, employment or training, and for young women that share exceeds half. The article contends that the main obstacle is missing mentorship, career guidance, industry networks and reliable labour market information rather than any lack of effort.

Graduate unemployment stands at 18.3pc nationally, above the overall rate of 14.7pc across all education levels. Citing Gallup Pakistan's analysis of the Pakistan Labour Force Survey 2024-25, the article says graduate unemployment for those aged 20-24 is 32.8pc, meaning nearly one in three graduates in that bracket is out of work.