ISLAMABAD, Jun 15 (ABC):Pakistan’s flagship digital skills programme, DigiSkills, conducted more than 5.14 million trainings during the first nine months of FY2025-26, according to official data. The milestone highlights the growing role of digital skills development in supporting freelancing, information technology (IT) services, online entrepreneurship, and export-oriented digital work.
The programme’s expansion comes as Pakistan’s digital economy records growth in technology exports and freelance earnings, increasing demand for a workforce equipped with digital and online business skills.
What is DigiSkills?
DigiSkills is a government-supported digital training programme designed to help individuals develop skills that can be used in freelancing, remote work, entrepreneurship, and technology-related professions.
The initiative provides online training in a range of fields, including freelancing, digital marketing, graphic design, web development, search engine optimization (SEO), e-commerce management, content creation, and virtual assistance.
The programme is intended to improve access to digital education for people from different educational and socioeconomic backgrounds.
How many people received training?
According to official figures, DigiSkills delivered more than 5.14 million trainings between July 2025 and March 2026.
The programme also reached Pakistanis living abroad, with more than 61,754 overseas Pakistanis receiving training during the period.
Participant data shows that 70% of trainees were male, while 30% were female.
Why does the programme matter?
Digital skills have become increasingly important as businesses and workers shift toward online platforms and remote services.
The programme is designed to address demand for skilled workers in both domestic and international digital markets. By providing training in technology-enabled professions, it aims to help individuals access freelance work opportunities and establish online businesses.
Freelancing has become an important source of income for many Pakistanis, allowing workers to provide services to international clients without relocating abroad.
What economic impact has been reported?
Official data indicates that freelancers trained under DigiSkills earned approximately $1.65 billion during July-March FY2025-26.
The earnings reflect the programme’s contribution to foreign exchange inflows and the broader digital services sector.
The report links the availability of trained digital professionals to the continued expansion of Pakistan’s technology and freelance industries.
How is Pakistan’s digital economy changing?
The growth of DigiSkills coincides with broader expansion in Pakistan’s information and communication technology (ICT) sector.
According to the data, ICT export remittances increased by 19.7% to $3.38 billion during July-March FY2025-26, compared with $2.83 billion during the same period a year earlier.
Technology freelancer exports also recorded significant growth, rising 51% to $856.3 million during the period.
These trends indicate increasing international demand for Pakistan-based digital services and freelance work.
Who is affected?
The programme primarily benefits students, job seekers, freelancers, entrepreneurs, and professionals seeking to develop digital competencies.
It also supports overseas Pakistanis and individuals looking to participate in the global digital economy through remote work and online business activities.
For the broader economy, the programme contributes to workforce development, export growth, entrepreneurship, and foreign exchange earnings.
What happens next?
As Pakistan’s digital economy continues to expand, demand for technology-related skills is expected to remain important for both employers and independent workers.
The continued growth of freelancing, ICT exports, and online entrepreneurship is likely to keep digital training programmes such as DigiSkills central to efforts aimed at strengthening the country’s digital workforce and improving participation in global technology markets.
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