This K4DD Rapid Evidence Review analyses how Pakistan faces a critical skills gap, especially evident in key sectors like manufacturing, IT, and pharmaceuticals, where employers struggle to find candidates with the right technical, practical, or digital skills.
Although the economy is shifting from agriculture towards industry and services—and nearly one million young people enter the labour market each year—Pakistan’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system can accommodate about one-third of them. Major challenges in the TVET sector include outdated training programs, a lack of alignment between education and industry demands, and the perception that TVET as a lower-status option compared to general education. The national policies also treat education and TVET separately and address skills as synonymous with TVET. Without consistent national standards, stronger public-private partnerships, and targeted investment, Pakistan risks worsening youth unemployment and stalling economic growth.
Explore all K4DD outputs here.