LAHORE: In an era defined by the dizzying pace of digitalisation, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), and a global shift towards green economies, the traditional model of ‘get an education, get a job’ is becoming obsolete.
A recent report by the International Labor Organisation (ILO) issued a clarion call to governments: lifelong learning must transition from a peripheral luxury to a central pillar of economic and social policy. For Pakistan, a country with a massive youth bulge and a largely informal labour market, this shift is no longer optional, it is a matter of national survival.
ILO Director-General Gilbert F Houngbo aptly describes lifelong learning as the “bridge between today’s jobs and tomorrow’s opportunities”. However, for many in Pakistan, this bridge remains under construction or entirely missing. While the global average for structured training participation sits at a modest 16 per cent, the disparity in developing nations is even more pronounced. In Pakistan, lifelong learning remains a “grey area”, overshadowed by a formal education system that often fails to align with market demands.
The ILO report highlights a stark inequality: while 51 per cent of formal, full-time workers receive employer-led training, those in the informal sector, where the vast majority of Pakistan’s workforce resides, are left to “learn by doing”. This lack of structured upskilling traps workers in low-wage cycles and hinders the country’s overall productivity.
To find a way forward, Pakistan need only look at its neighbours and peers. Regional competitors are already leveraging lifelong learning to climb the value chain. India, for instance, has integrated skills development into its national identity through the Skill India mission and the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), which focuses on industry-relevant training for millions. Similarly, Bangladesh has made significant strides in the RMG (Ready-Made Garment) sector by introducing structured training programs that help workers transition from manual labour to digitalised production lines.
In Southeast Asia, the models are even more robust. Vietnam has aggressively invested in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) to support its burgeoning manufacturing sector, ensuring its workforce can handle the requirements of high-tech multinational corporations. Sri Lanka, despite its recent economic turmoil, has historically maintained high literacy and vocational training standards, focusing on rounded skill profiles — combining technical prowess with the socio-emotional skills the ILO identifies as essential for higher wages. Even Cambodia has begun implementing a National Policy on Lifelong Learning to ensure its workforce remains resilient against automation.
For Pakistan, the challenge is twofold: structural and cultural. We face limited financing and inadequate infrastructure — the “structural barriers” mentioned by the ILO. However, the path to sustainable growth lies in diversifying our approach to skills. Employers today seek a rounded profile: a combination of digital fluency, green competencies and foundational cognitive skills.
To bridge the gap, Pakistan must move beyond the classroom. We need a system that recognises informal learning — the learning-by-doing that happens in the workshops of Sialkot or the markets of Karachi — and validates it through formal certification. This would allow informal workers to transition into decent work with better conditions.
Furthermore, digitalisation offers a shortcut. Mobile-based learning platforms can bypass the lack of physical infrastructure, bringing “structured training” to people that currently lacks access.
Lifelong learning is more than just an economic strategy; it is a tool for social inclusion and active citizenship. If Pakistan continues to leave its workforce to navigate the complexities of AI and the green transition without a roadmap, the grey area of our learning landscape will turn into a permanent shadow. By learning from the successes of Vietnam and India, and by placing lifelong learning at the heart of our policy, we can turn our demographic challenge into a demographic dividend. The bridge to tomorrow is being built today; it is time Pakistan started walking across it.
