After a year-long delay, Ignite National Technology Fund has launched the third phase of Pakistan’s largest digital skills initiative, DigiSkills 3.0.
The program, which is set to roll out over the next 3.5 years, aims to provide 3 million free trainings to youth across the country. The first batch of DigiSkills 3.0 is scheduled to start on August 1.
In its new phase, DigiSkills will not only continue offering its 15 existing courses, ranging from Freelancing, Digital Marketing, and Graphic Design to SEO, WordPress, and Creative Writing but will also introduce 10 new high-demand courses. These include Artificial Intelligence, UI/UX Design, and Mobile App Development. All existing courses have been upgraded to meet the evolving demands of international freelance markets.
300,000 Seats Available for Batch 01
Enrollment for Batch-01 is now open, with 300,000 seats available on a first-come, first-served basis. DigiSkills management has warned that no additional seats will be provided once the limit is reached, urging potential trainees to act quickly.
DigiSkills was first launched in August 2018 by the Ministry of IT and Telecom through Ignite, with the Virtual University of Pakistan as the implementing partner. The first two phases collectively trained over 4.5 million individuals. However, the delay in launching Phase 3.0 drew strong criticism, particularly during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on IT held in May 2025.
The committee, chaired by Syed Amin Ul Haque, lambasted the one-year delay, calling it a missed opportunity in the face of rapidly advancing technologies like AI. Ignite officials admitted the delay but maintained that the overhaul was necessary to modernize the program.
Why the Delay?
The launch comes after a prolonged period of stagnation caused by the non-appointment of a new CEO at Ignite and the failure of the Board of Directors, headed by the federal IT secretary, to convene meetings.
It was only last month that the board finally met and approved several pending projects, including DigiSkills 3.0. Ignite officials have stated that the hiatus also provided an opportunity to revamp the program’s curriculum and catch up with global technological trends.
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