Daily Times

Gone are the days when people walked miles to read books in a library. Now they don’t even have to leave their desks as books and literature is available over the Internet. The youth of today has the resources to achieve success. Unlike their predecessors, who performed manual labour, the youth of today can access all forms of content through digital media. The need of the hour is to find a purpose and direction that the youth can pursue in order to achieve success. With changing times, the youth needs to become aware of their society. The example of hundreds and thousands of freelancers working across Pakistan is just one way in which they took charge and brought a change. They actively share insights and discuss opportunities on social media. This creates a congenial environment for learning.

The youth should be made aware of the learning opportunities available online. They should enhance their skills to earn while gaining experience. This experience will help them strengthen their skills, capitalize on their ability to solve problems and earn a side income. Interaction with clients and peers also creates new contacts. Discussions certainly broaden the mental horizon.

The youth need to remain observant of their strengths and keep a close eye on the trends so they can modify their skills and adjust their perspective.

Indeed, the world is moving towards a remote-work culture where companies will be increasing their dependencies on employees who complete tasks without showing up at the office. The corporate world was compelled to experiment with such a work routine during the lockdown in 2020. Despite people being forced to remain confined in their homes, the employees remained connected through online resources, held meetings, discussed ideas, communicated via emails, and met deadlines.

The concept of freelancing was also accentuated during this period when skilled individuals began venturing into this field by offering their products and services to their clients. Some began freelancing for the first time and became successful. Indeed, the youth of Pakistan should learn how to use their available resources to achieve maximum output. First, they need to identify their interest and develop a skill set that complements these interests. Second, they need to determine what products or services to offer based on their skill set. Third, they should understand how to use social media, which will be the window to connect with their market and clients. Fourth, they need to be relevant to the market, and fifth, they should consistently promote their offerings through social media content including visuals, photos, illustrations, videos, etc.

The key is “continuous learning.” The youth need to remain observant of their strengths and keep a close eye on the trends so they can modify their skills, adjust their perspective, and in the case of freelancers, revise their business model. Learning a skill is a thing of the past. Today, learning, unlearning, and relearning are applied for effective results. Our educational system, unfortunately, does not celebrate individuality. It programs the youth to conform to the corporate psyche. The future will not favour conformity, it will favour the brave, the creative, the risk-taker, the thinker, and the goal-seeker.

The world is gearing up for the fourth industrial revolution, and much of it has already begun. This new era will require the youth to become agile to changing trends, be adaptive to the market’s needs, and remain focused on bolstering their skills.

The writer is an independent researcher, author and columnist