The MoU was inked in the presence of Furqan Ahmed Syed, CEO, PepsiCo Pakistan and Afghanistan and Prof Dr Fazal Ahmed Khalid, Chairman PHEC. The purpose of the MoU is to support PepsiCo and Amal Academy's collaboration efforts to facilitate job seeking graduates in Punjab.
The MoU would facilitate and strengthen collaboration between the two to assist young people into the workforce.
Pakistan's growing youth means a rising workforce that needs employment opportunities. Between 2005 and 2014, the unemployment rate for those with university degrees has grown from five percent to an alarming 26 percent. University graduates in Pakistan have immense potential, but often haven't had the chance to develop the skills that are critical to realizing that potential. Additionally, students are not always familiar with the career opportunities that are available to them. As a result, they often struggle to transition from their academic life into meaningful jobs and careers.
Earlier this year PepsiCo Pakistan partnered with Amal Academy to run professional skills development program, targeted specifically at young people. The pilot program is part of a USD 300,000 PepsiCo grant which has trained over 1,000 university students, 34 percent of which are women. So far, 70 percent of the job seeking graduates has been offered employment within three months of completing the program. The partnership between PHEC, PepsiCo and Amal Academy will give greater access to public university students in Punjab to enroll and benefit from the programme.
The ceremony was presided over by Punjab's Minister for Higher Education, Raja Yassir Humayun Sarfraz. He acknowledged the effort of this public private partnership to support Pakistan's youth.
It is great to see companies like PepsiCo aligning themselves with one of government's most important priorities, he added.
Furqan Ahmed Syed, CEO, PepsiCo Pakistan and Afghanistan said, "We are very proud of this collaboration between PepsiCo and Amal Academy and are thrilled to have the Punjab Government's support in helping us scale it and widen its reach so that more students can benefit from it. PepsiCo has had a long association with the Pakistani youth. They are talented and have great potential and it is our privilege to be able to further their ambitions."
Speaking on the occasion, Chairman PHEC, Prof Dr Fazal Ahmed Khalid said the programme of joint collaboration with Amal Academy and PepsiCo Pakistan would facilitate students and graduates register in the various training programmes offered in universities, enhance their life skills and training on professional ethics and bridge the industry-academia gap for better employment opportunities.