ISLAMABAD: Microsoft, a global leader in technology and innovation along with its implementing partner, World Vision-Pakistan, has launched Rozgar.Work – an entrepreneurship platform in Pakistan.
The platform will provide job seekers with end-to-end career guidance, job matching and mentorship – all centred on a free online hub that brings the best resources together in a bold attempt to address unemployment and underemployment. The platform is powered by Microsoft Windows Azure Cloud, SQL, and SharePoint 2013. Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal was the chief guest at the launching ceremony held in the Serena Hotel, Islamabad.
Rozgar.Work is aimed at catalysing employability and entrepreneurial skills among the Pakistani youth. It is a Microsoft YouthSpark initiative to create a comprehensive ecosystem to support the talented Pakistani youth in enhancing their skill-set and ensure a bright future for the whole nation. Microsoft’s solution, in the form of its employability platforms, has previously landed in 16 markets to date including Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Iraq, Qatar, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Botswana, Algeria, Ghana, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and now Pakistan, and will expand to 21 countries across MEA including Tanzania, Mozambique, Angola, Zimbabwe, Madagascar and Mauritius. To date, the YouthSpark employability platform has reached 5.8 million youth with a target of reaching seven million by the end of FY15. In addition, 69,000 job opportunities have been posted on the job search tool against 100,000 job openings goal to be reached by the end of the year.
Speaking on the occasion, Ahsan Iqbal said it was heartening to see a technology leader like Microsoft, working on Youth Workforce Development, in collaboration with a robust humanitarian organisation World-Vision International-Pakistan. “Leveraging technology can help expand social-development outreach like never before. Smartphone penetration and increased connectivity can transform e-Learning and teaching resources, while opening fresh avenues of knowledge for the masses. We need to invest on our youth, to meet national challenges,” the minister maintained.
The employability platform nurtures the essential ingredients for workforce development, and helps the youth in becoming employed or self-employed. platform has adopted a unique approach by offering; ‘Career Counseling and Guidance’ with information and stats about job markets. It provides mentorship along with training to develop soft and hard skills. The ‘Entrepreneurial Resources’ section of the platform is aimed at enhancing business skills, while the Networking Opportunities’ section will helps the youth in expanding their community-based networking capabilities.
This platform will offer a comprehensive solution to the diverse needs of the youth, while helping them identify the most suitable career trajectories. Rozgar.Work also offers extensive online and offline training options for different skills – customised to specific target groups and market needs. Resources are provided to budding entrepreneurs, along with cutting-edge tools that help them leverage productivity and technology, to ensure their entrepreneurial growth.
Microsoft Pakistan’s Country General Manager Nadeem Malik stated, “At Microsoft, we believe in sharing our success with the communities, wherever we operate. Rozgar.Work is a robust platform which can enable revolutionary enrichments in the society, by empowering the youth, to find effective solutions for the various challenges faced by the society. Entrepreneurship and skill-development are the solution to many of Pakistan’s economic issues. Microsoft is committed to create fresh opportunities for the youth, to play a key role in nation building. We appreciate the valuable support from WVI-Pakistan to make this program successful.”
The program development manager at WVI –Pakistan, Rizwan ul Haq, stated, “We are really excited to be a part of this pioneering initiative with Microsoft. World Vision is an international humanitarian organisation that works for poverty alleviation, social development, disaster relief, education, healthcare and justice for the deprived segments. We would like to thank the leading enterprises like TIE, PASHA, that have joined today’s event to show their support for this initiative.”