Ignite National Technology Fund has initiated an independent third-party assessment of the DigiSkills.pk program to evaluate its overall impact on Pakistan’s digital skills and freelancing ecosystem. The review will cover the program’s performance from its launch in 2018 through November 2025, focusing on outcomes related to skills development, employment, and income generation across the country.
DigiSkills.pk, implemented by the Virtual University of Pakistan under the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, is the country’s largest digital skills training initiative. Since its inception, the program has enrolled more than 4.87 million individuals nationwide and has expanded in multiple phases to offer a growing number of courses aligned with evolving global digital economy demands.
The assessment will verify reported enrollment figures, participation levels, and trainee engagement while evaluating the alignment of the training with current freelancing market requirements. It will also examine how many graduates entered freelancing after completing the courses, identify major freelancing hubs across Pakistan, and assess participation trends among women and youth.
A significant focus of the study will be on estimating the earnings and foreign remittances generated by DigiSkills graduates, analyzing income growth trends since 2018, and assessing the program’s contribution to Pakistan’s position in the global freelancing market. The evaluation will also compare outcomes achieved with and without the program’s intervention.
The final report is expected to provide evidence-based findings and policy-oriented recommendations to guide future improvements in digital skills development. These insights will support government decision-making, enhance program design, and help expand digital employment and freelancing opportunities across Pakistan.
