EntrepreneurshipDevelopmentand theNationalYouthPolicyofPakistan

YouthConferenceJune3,2008Islamabad,Pakistan
130students,youngentrepreneurs,anddecisionmakerscametogethertodevelopthe followingpolicyrecommendationsforthedraftNationalYouthPolicyofPakistanata conferenceorganizedbytheCenterforInternationalPrivateEnterprise(CIPE),theIslamabad ChamberofCommerceandIndustry(ICCI),andtheMinistryofYouthAffairs.TheYouth Conference,whichfocusedonentrepreneurshipdevelopment,wasthefirsteveropportunity foryouthinPakistantoprovidefeedbackdirectlytopolicymakers.Thesedraft recommendations,oncefinalized,willbepresentedtotheMinistryofYouthAffairsand SecretaryMr.AshfaqMahmood,whodemonstratedhisstrongcommitmenttoengagingyouth inthereformprocessattheYouthConference.

DraftRecommendations
Thefollowingprogramsshouldbedevelopedinconsultationwithyouthandtheprivatesector.

Entrepreneurship
Theconceptofentrepreneurshipmustbeexplainedinschoolsandpromotedasacareer opportunityforyouth;counselingshouldbeavailabletoyouthinordertodevelopacultureof entrepreneurship. TheGovernmentshouldreassessitsownpolicies,inconsultationwithyouthrepresentatives,to identifyandreformlawsandregulationsthatpresenthurdlestoyoungpeoplestartinga business. MorecompaniesshouldbeinvitedtoparticipateintheNationalInternshipProgramthrougha concertedoutreacheffortonthepartoftheMinistryofYouthAffairs. TheGovernmentshouldlaunchanationalentrepreneurshipprogramwithincubationcenters aroundthecountry(similartotheNationalInternshipProgram). Venturecapital(localandforeign)shouldbepromotedasapracticalwayforyoung entrepreneurstogainaccesstofinance. TheremustbecooperationbetweentheIslamabadChamberofCommerceandIndustry,trade bodies,anduniversitiestoassistyoungentrepreneurs.

TheIslamabadChamberofCommerceandIndustryshouldlaunchaprogramtohelpyouth entrepreneursregisterwiththeFederalBoardofRevenueandGovernmentAssociation;a separatedeskforyouthshouldbeestablishedintheFederalBoardofRevenue. StronglinkagesshouldbebuiltbetweentheTradeDevelopmentAuthorityofPakistan(TDAP) andentrepreneurs. TheMinistryofYouthAffairsshouldholdabusinessplandevelopmentcompetitiononregional andnationallevels. Universitiesshouldinvitebusinesspeopletogivelecturesinclassorinaguestlectureseries. Governmentprogramsshouldreachouttolessereducatedyouthinruralareastheyshould notbelimitedtoyouthstudyinginurbanuniversities. Ayouthcabinetshouldbeformedwiththeopportunityforregularconsultationwiththe MinistryofYouthAffairs. BoththeMinistryofYouthAffairsandchambersofcommerceandindustryshouldoffercareer counselingservicesforyouth.

SkillDevelopment
TheMinistryofYouthAffairsmustregularlyconductneedsassessmentsurveysonwhattypeof practicaltrainingyouthneedtoentertheprivatesector. TheFederalBureauofStatisticsneedstoreassessthetypesofstatisticsitcollectssothatthe figurescanbeusedtodevelopprogramsthatraiseyouthemployment;theGovernmentand privatesectormustdevelopanactionplantousethesestatisticsforcreatingmorejobsandnew businesses. Significantresearchanddevelopmentisneededtocreateanewcurriculumforvocational trainingcenters. Educationalprogramsshouldshiftemphasisfromtheorytopracticalapplicationofknowledge. Skillsbuildingprograms/traininginstitutesshouldbedevelopedandemphasizedforcertain sectors,including: o Healthmanagementandfirstaid o Hotelmanagement o Fashiondesign(institutesareneeded) o Jewelrydesign o Furnituredesignandconstruction o Handicrafts o Forestproducts o Cosmetology Theskillsdevelopmentinstitutesshouldreachouttothosewithfeweducationalopportunities, andservepeopleatthelocallevelandinruralareas. Acareercounselingsystemshouldbeinstitutedforyouth;universitiesandothereducational establishmentsshouldhirecareercounselorstoassiststudents. Chambersofcommerceshoulddevelopadatabaseforjobinformation. Practicalinteractionofeducational(polytechnicsandITinstitutes)andprivate/publicsector organizationswiththeNationalVocationalandTechnicalEducationCommission(NAVTEC)is needed.

Microfinance
TheStateBankofPakistanshouldofferlowinterestratesforyoungentrepreneurswitha sustainablebusinessplan. TheNationalDatabaseandRegistrationAuthority(NADRA)shoulddevelopadatabaseon sourcesoffinanceforentrepreneurialventuresonprovincialandregionallevels,withsector specificinformation. Awarenessofmicrofinanceprogramsshouldberaisedthroughyouthworkshops,television,and FMradio. Womeneconomicpartnershipsshouldbedeveloped. Incubationcentersorcareercentersinuniversitiesshouldoffertechnicalexpertstoguideyouth infindingsourcesoffundingforbusinesses.

InternshipsandJobPlacement
Businessdevelopmentcentersandcareercentersshouldbeestablishedinalluniversities; studentsneedguidanceinfindingappropriateinternshipsandjobs. TheGovernmentshouldinstituteauniformapplicationprocessforitsinternshipprogram. Anonlineportalforinternstointeractandsearchforemploymentshouldbedeveloped. Universities,theGovernment,andbusinessorganizationsmustincreasetheircooperationto fullyserveyoungpeoplewhoneedpracticaleducationaltrainingandcareerguidance.This tripartitepartnership(universitygovernmentbusinessorganizations)wouldworktogetherin curriculumdevelopment,internshipprogramadministration,andprojectdevelopmenttobring moreyoungpeopleintotheprivatesector. Jobfairsshouldbeheldregularlythroughoutthecountry. Moreeffortshouldbemadetoencouragealumnicontactwithuniversities,leadingtogreater communicationaboutjobopeningsinalumnisfirms.

Forquestions,comments,andfeedback,pleaseemail cipepk@cipe.organdicci@brain.net.pk