Choosing a Career in Pakistan
Choosing a career in Pakistan is something easier said than done. Pakistan is amongst the countries with large number of youth and less job opportunities. The lack of growth in private sector has shifted most of the responsibility to the public sector which also suffers from capacity issues to absorb a large number of graduates each year. That makes choosing a career in Pakistan a tough game. With number of graduates seeking jobs increasing every year on one hand and the absence of corresponding growth in the country on the other, people are compelled to look out for opportunities abroad or settle for low paid salaries with little or no progression opportunities. People graduating in the country generally have following options/ choices to go ahead into practical life.
Government Jobs (CSS, PPSC, FPSC, Commission in Armed Forces)
Since foundation the most desirous option for young men and women is to join the work force of provincial and federal service. A public sector job is the most aspiring and sought after career in Pakistan. Defense forces had been mostly restricted for males in the past however lately more and more females are joining forces especially the army. The selection criteria for these jobs and how to go about it will be covered in a later post. However it is pertinent to mention that they constitute a very small percentage of population and with the ongoing geopolitical situation in the region it’s getting hard to stay in forces only for earning and is now more than ever a place for passionate volunteers
Explore Private Sector
Those who exhaust the option of government jobs venture into private sector. In Pakistan private sector has somewhat grown in the past two decades specially in IT and telecommunication sectors, yet these jobs are still relatively low paid with no or minimal institutional protection. Moreover the career progression is also abysmally low for majority of the employees. However, the contribution of private sector for providing jobs opportunities to fresh graduates remains an undeniable fact. Hence, private sector furnishes various options for choosing career in Pakistan.
Seek Scholarships for Higher Studies in Abroad
Many young students opt for postgraduate scholarships to study in education institutes of developed countries particularly of Europe and East Asia. The scholarships are offered by host countries as well as Pakistan based institutes, particularly HEC. These students after completing their education abroad often tent to start working abroad and seldom come back to the country.
Start Entrepreneurship
This group is further distributed into those who join an already established enterprise owned or run by an immediate family member(s) and those who endeavor to be an entrepreneur on their own. More and more people are joining this stream since it’s the only sector fast expanding and has huge potential to absorb new people. With the increasing attention paid lately by the government and various other institutions like banking and micro finance institutions, youth loan programs and skill development plans are on the rise. It opens doors towards self-employment of youth and to let them take more control of their career. Hence entrepreneurship is one of the popular choices taken up by the youth in order to streamline their career in Pakistan.
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