or long, we have been chasing degrees like trophies, believing that education is best measured by certificates. Across Pakistan, thousands of young people proudly display their degrees. However, many of them remain unemployed, frustrated and uncertain about their future. Our classrooms are full, but our workplaces are empty. The reason is painfully simple: we have built an education system that rewards memory, not mastery and ignores the single most important truth of the modern age — skills pay, degrees don’t.

The traditional route of matric, intermediate and graduation was once seen as the safest path to success. Parents saved for years to send their children to college, hoping that a degree would guarantee a stable income. That belief is now outdated. The world has moved on. Employers today are not looking for degrees on paper; they are looking for people who can build, repair, design, programme or innovate. Pakistan’s economy needs skilled workers, but many of our schools are producing job seekers, not job creators.

The numbers tell the story. Out of more than two million students enrolled in universities, less than half a million are in technical and vocational programms. The country has around four thousand technical institutes. Most of them are underfunded, under-equipped and under-valued. Compare this with nations like Germany and South Korea, where more than half of all secondary students pursue technical or vocational training. These countries have built their economic strength on skilled hands and practical knowledge — electricians, welders, mechanics, programmers and machine operators who form the backbone of modern industry. Pakistan, on the other hand, continues to produce graduates who often struggle to find even entry-level jobs because their degrees don’t match what the market needs.

The irony is that our industries are hungry for talent. Construction firms, energy companies, manufacturing plants, and IT hubs constantly report shortages of trained workers. The construction sector alone is projected to need another 1.5 million skilled workers in the next five years. Yet, every year, our universities add thousands of graduates in disciplines that are already saturated. This mismatch between education and employment has created a silent crisis — an economy waiting for workers and a workforce that doesn’t fit.

Technical education can change that story. A young man with a certificate in solar technology or plumbing can earn more in six months than a fresh graduate might in two years. A young woman trained in fashion design, digital marketing or mobile phone repair can start her own business instead of waiting for a company to hire her. Skill-based education turns dependency into dignity. It makes people creators, not just consumers. It builds confidence and creates independence.

The value of technical education is not only economic but also social. It empowers people to work with purpose, to build their own livelihoods and to serve their communities. A trained technician can light a village; a skilled programmer can create an app that reaches millions. These are the people who will take a nation forward. Every developed country has understood this. However, many in Pakistan continue to treat technical education as a second-class option. We celebrate the student who gets into a university but look down upon the one who enrolls in a vocational institute. That mindset must end.

There is nothing wrong about learning a trade. In fact, there is something profoundly noble about it. It takes intelligence to fix an engine, precision to build a house and creativity to install solar systems. Technical work is not menial — it is meaningful. We should be proud of our electricians, mechanics, carpenters, welders and software technicians because they are the ones building the Pakistan we will live in.

To change the future, we must change what we value. The government must invest in technical education the way it invests in universities. Every district should have a modern technical institute linked directly to industries. Curriculums must be updated to teach the skills of the 21st Century — robotics, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, automation and advanced manufacturing. Industry must also play its part, offering apprenticeships and paid training so that students can learn on the job. Families must encourage their children to choose practical skills if that is where their talent lies. It is not about prestige; it is about purpose.

If we empower our youth with skills, Pakistan can transform within a decade. Technical education will not only reduce unemployment but also drive exports, attract foreign investment, and strengthen industries. Our young people will no longer leave school with hopelessness but with tools they can use to build their future. This is how countries rise — not through paper degrees, but through skilled citizens who know how to turn knowledge into value.

It is time we start measuring what a person can do. A graduate who cannot find work is not more educated than a skilled technician who builds and earns. One has learned to repeat; the other has learned to create. The world today rewards creators.

Pakistan’s destiny depends on how quickly we make that shift. Technical education is not an alternative to traditional education; it is the upgrade our nation needs. Our youth deserve more than certificates that gather dust. They deserve an education that gives them a living, a purpose and a place in the world. It’s time to build a Pakistan where education means empowerment — where learning leads not just to literacy, but to livelihood.

The writer is a chartered accountant and a business analyst.