IT exports remittances surge 38.16 percent

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's information technology (IT) and IT-enabled Services (ITeS) export remittances comprising of computer services and call center services have surged by a staggering 38.16% to US $648.940 million during July-November in the Financial Year 2020-21 in comparison to US $469.713 million during same period last year 2019-20.

According to performance report of Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), an organization under Ministry of IT and Telecommunication, this boost comes in the wake of strong IT Industry growth; IT & IT enabled Services (ITeS), export remittances comprising computer and call center services have surged to US $648.940 million at a growth rate of 38.16% during July-November of FY 2020-21, in comparison to US $469.713 million during July-November of FY 2019-20.

An official of IT said the IT Industry has been a star in Pakistan’s economy and has achieved positive year on year growth as a result of strong government support, skilled entrepreneurs and a talented workforce.

He said, PSEB has accelerated work on ‘Training & Certification’ programme under which 6,000 graduates and professionals would be acquainted with latest technologies, enabling them to meet the need of the contemporary world. He said, that the professionals would be trained during the period from 2021-23.

To a question he said, the growth has exacerbated shortage of qualified manpower for IT industry as “the Industry’s main capital is qualified manpower and without a strong, qualified manpower base, Pakistan’s IT Industry’s growth momentum cannot be sustained.

Internationally recognized certifications, he said, are a quick and readily recognized benchmark mapped to a specific skill set based on standardized testing.

“Internationally recognized trainings are highly coveted particularly in the global information technology industry. Attaining international certifications provides instant recognition to IT professionals and recent IT graduates, who, without international certifications, would most likely go unnoticed by Pakistani and international IT companies.

International certifications would provide the level playing field to Pakistani IT companies and IT professionals in soliciting international projects. The trainings and certifications would be conducted free of cost or at a nominal cost, covering latest technologies such as machine learning, block chain, automated testing and big data analytics.

He said, that certifications would include AWS Certified Solution Architect, AWS Certified Big Data – Speciality, Microsoft Azure Big Data Analytics Solutions, Scrum Master Certified (SAMC), Certified Associates in Python Programming, CCNA, Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator and many others.

In order to ensure maximum capacity building of local IT eco system, the local training companies would be required to partner up with international entities such as Microsoft, Oracle, Cisco among others, he added.

The training program would significantly boost Pakistan’s IT ecosystem and “effectively address the issue of employability of Pakistani graduates and significantly enhance their potential as a young techie, startup entrepreneur or as a freelancer.