Youth turnout dominates Haripur job fair amid rising demand for skills

HARIPUR: A surge of young job seekers marked a large employment fair held in Haripur, where students and fresh graduates formed the majority of participants seeking jobs, internships and training opportunities.

The event, organised by RankingGrow in collaboration with Metrix Pakistan, the Directorate of Youth Affairs Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Haripur Chamber of Commerce and Industry, attracted over 1,500 attendees from different educational institutions and professional backgrounds.

Participants engaged directly with recruiters and trainers as organisers offered more than 50 job opportunities, over 200 internships and around 1,000 training placements. Several candidates were selected during the event, reflecting a growing trend of employers hiring based on practical skills.

Chief guest Babar Nawaz Khan and other attendees, including Syeda Amina Gilani, Malik Umair Khalid, Syed Safdar Zaman Shah and Waqar Ali, interacted with participants and observed the recruitment process.

Many attendees said the event provided rare access to multiple employers under one roof, allowing them to explore career options and understand industry expectations.

During the session, Ammad Ali highlighted the need to prepare youth for a changing job market, noting that traditional academic pathways alone were no longer sufficient.

He said initiatives like this aimed to expose young people to real-world opportunities and equip them with skills required by employers.

Mr Khan appreciated the enthusiasm of participants and said that empowering youth through such platforms was essential for economic progress.

Ms Gilani emphasised the importance of technical and digital competencies, referring to ongoing initiatives by the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission to expand vocational training across the country.

Mr Khalid stressed that the private sector must play a greater role in mentoring and hiring young talent, particularly at the local level.

The event also drew participation from members of the legal community, religious scholars, educators and officials, who termed it a positive step towards addressing unemployment.

Organisers said arrangements were made to ensure a smooth event, with support from local authorities. They added that participants would continue to receive guidance and access to training programmes after the fair.

Observers noted that the strong youth turnout reflected both the demand for employment opportunities and the growing interest in skills-based careers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.