Ignite has taken initiative to train 1 Million people with skills of future. I was invited to DigiSkills Consultative conclave and here are some of my thoughts and recommendations for program. Also I wish all the best to Mr. Yusuf Hussain, entrepreneur, angel investor and technology enthusiast, currently serving as CEO, Ignite (formerly National ICT R&D Fund Company) with this ambitious program and may this bring positive fruits for country.
Here are some of his thoughts which I strongly agree to:
https://www.thenews.com.pk/sponsor/223198-Future-of-Work-II
Below are some of my recommendations.
1- Early Childhood : Encourage Critical Thinking
We are growing followers not leaders, we are killing creativity in our education system not promoting it. If Pakistan has to incorporate DigiSkills of future it must take initiatives for Early Childhood education reforms. Career choices presented to kids are limited. Our kids at schools mostly choose Army or Pilot as dream careers. DigiSkills of future are not possible to achieve without encouraging critical thinking and career counselling at early childhood stage.
2- Youth: Empower Initiative Taking
Most productive years of one’s life are 16-22. Thats when top sports stars emerge in their careers these days. Thats when accomplished people are in full energy to accomplish their initiatives. If we wont be empowering initiative taking for youth, skills of future would be harder to achieve. Indeed Innovation and Self learning are attributes of future workforce. Without encouraging the young to take initiatives and learn on their own we are feeding them with career choices which would cage them ultimately.
DigiSkills Curricula needs focus on the “guided use” of technology, and not just providing tools for general use. #DigiSkills #IoT #AI #BI
3- Graduates: Improve Skills, Train for Skills of Future
This is where Ignite’s DigiSkills program is currently focused at. Improving fresh graduates quality is one thing. But biggest challenge for program would be how to fix the early childhood critical thinking skills and initiative taking among trainees.
Facilitate seamless transitions & ease of navigation through higher and vocational education and training systems. #DigiSkills
Also our culture of not asking questions is another big barrier to skills of future. Big data is about asking questions and more importantly asking the right questions. If we are training our graduates only about how to code well, or how to freelance online. Then these are not skills of future. Ability to understand a problem and design a solution using modern technology is the way training program should be designed.
Many digital transactions involve all three mechanisms and a two-sided market. #DigiSkills
4- Working Class: Promote Learning Skills of Future
We have 80% career mismatch. People are unhappy with their current careers. How to change this? Promote learning at all levels. Be it executive or manager or director or CEO. Learning how to code, learning how to design, learning how to solve riddles and problems should be promoted. A portal where services can be offered and people can hire is not the only solution to learning skills of future.
Address the skills deficit of individuals with low levels of formal education, including the provision of wrap-around services. #DigiSkills
A portal where industry/academia can join hands to solve problems of future is where working class can learn skills of future. A corporate culture cannot be changed by outsider. However corporates can be encouraged to change management styles to foster innovation/creativity and stay ahead of curve when joblessness would be high. And their business might even vanish from face of earth.
“It is now that the present is turning into the future before our eyes.”
What do you recommend Pakistan should do to train work force of future?
Find the right talent and give them right #DigiSkills
Here is a sad Pie chart showing most of ICT initiatives by governments fail. Do you believe DigiSkills program would be a success?
Share your thoughts in comments. Also do you agree with my recommendations for program?
