Field of Dreams

By Sumaiya Lakhani

A tomato field is an unlikely place to find inspiration, but amid the trees, mud and growing shoots, there it was: Inspiration with a capital ‘I’.

As odd as that may sound, what’s even odder is that it came as I saw a corporate banker jump over a mound, followed by a gaggle of giggling students in matching beige uniforms.

This was the moment when I got my first glimpse of the mentor-mentee relationship that forms the basis of The Citizen Foundation’s Rahbar programme.

Started in 2008, Rahbar is a mentorship programme that aims at the development of Pakistan’s youth on many levels. It’s come a long way since its humble beginnings and now includes over 1,000 volunteer mentors who have reached out to about 4,500 students in different cities.

Green economy in Pakistan

In a recent Observer Pakistan article  government highlight the importance of green economy in Pakistan. This could be translated into many new jobs in a green economic sector!

"Chairing the opening session, Dr. Nadeem-ul-Haque, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission said that time has come to revisit policies and rethink discourse according to green economy concept. He said that current policy framework and ways of managing resources in the country has become obsolete. Talking of government’s relevance in shaping and managing the economy, he urged, it’s time to think holistically about the economy and productivity in creative and focused manner while exploring the linkages between growth and green economy."

The concept of "a job for life"

The concept of "a job for life" is fading as our workplaces grow ever more responsive to the accelerated pace of technological change and shifts in the global economy. A "career" is now seen as the process of managing life, learning and work across the lifespan. This means that lifelong learning is no longer an abstract concept but a vital necessity for navigating an increasingly fluid and complex economic landscape....!

What do you think about it....!

Academic and Career Counseling from the Grassroots Level

The student population of Pakistan, in general, is becoming increasingly confused as it steps out of the educational institutions and into the professional environment. This confusion may well be traced back to the early, school-going years of the students, when they are not generally given the freedom to acquire education that follows their individual interests. This article focuses on the need for parents and academic instructors/counselors to identify the children's fields of interests, and to give them the freedom to strive and excel in those fields, so their minds may remain constantly receptive over the years.

Written By Sufyan Aquil

When observing the education scene in Pakistan, the common phrases to hear are: “it has become commercialized”, “it has become a money-making machine”, “it has become a ‘business’ industry rather than a platform for public welfare”, and so on. Hearing such observations, one can do nothing but nod helplessly in agreement, and wonder where things have taken a turn for the worse.

United States Helps Young Job Seekers in Karachi

A new Career Development Center funded by the United States will help thousands of young jobs seekers in Karachi become stronger candidates for employment and assist employers looking for skilled labor. Dr. Marilyn Wyatt, wife of U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter, inaugurated the Center, which is affiliated with Greenwich University. The Center will provide employment services to current students and jobless graduates from the University.

At the career crossroads

By Hafsah Sarfraz

Today’s world focuses on more variety than what was offered to the previous generations. Take coffee for example … there are so many types of coffee to choose according to your taste and preference. Ice cream, which was available in maximum 10 flavors a few years ago, comes in hundreds of different flavors and combinations now. New cell phone models keep popping into the market everyday while giving us a greater variety to choose from. From lawn prints to cars, laptops or anything you can think of the variety is just growing giving us an astounding amount of choices today.

It goes the same for career. Gone are the days when medical and engineering were the only two options and the rest of the community was getting a simple honors degree just for the sake of an education. 

PIMA’s career guidance seminar for fresh medical graduates

Karachi: “Thousands of medical graduates pass out each year but many of them end up going abroad instead of paying back to society due to lack of proper career guidance and opportunities.” These views were expressed by doctors associated with Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) at a career guidance seminar held at Aga Khan University Auditorium on Saturday.