By Fouzia Qazi, Programme Manager, Work & Enterprise
Gilgit hosted the 2025 National Coalition of Employers (COE) Convention on 16 November 2025, bringing together employers, government institutions, tech companies, freelancers, youth, and development partners to discuss how to strengthen the Future of Work ecosystem in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral.
Organised under the Global Affairs Canada-funded BEST4WEER project and delivered in partnership with Tech Alphalogix, the convention focused on building stronger employer networks and improving pathways to skills, jobs, and entrepreneurship—particularly in the IT and digital services sectors.
Why Future of Work Matters in GB and Chitral
As freelancing, digital work, and technology-enabled services continue to grow in GB and Chitral, employers and training providers face increasing pressure to keep skills relevant and connect young people to real market opportunities. The convention was designed to address these emerging needs by creating a platform for dialogue between government, private sector actors, and youth.
Key Deliberations
The event opened with a documentary reflecting on AKRSP’s four decades of work—from early community-driven development to current initiatives in digital skills, innovation, and enterprise support—providing participants with a shared understanding of the region’s development journey.
One of the day’s major milestones was the launch of the GB Tech Ecosystem Diagnostic Report, jointly developed by P@SHA and the Gilgit-Baltistan Software Houses Association (GBSHA). The report outlined the region’s potential and highlighted challenges related to connectivity, infrastructure, access to markets, and support for emerging tech talent.
Participants then joined sector-wise group discussions covering IT and digital services, EdTech, tourism and hospitality, AgriTech, trade, and exports. Each group reviewed skills gaps, partnership needs, market bottlenecks, and the kind of support required to strengthen their respective sectors. The participants recommended holding sector-specific CoE events in the future and emphasised the growing influence of technology and AI across local industries.
Government and Institutional Engagement
Government departments from Gilgit-Baltistan and federal institutions—including the IT Department, Universal Service Fund (USF), and the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC)—actively participated in the dialogue. Their engagement underscored that shaping the Future of Work is a shared responsibility requiring coordinated action and long-term collaboration.
Emerging Priorities
Across discussions, three key priorities were repeatedly highlighted:
- The need to expand employer-led skills development in IT, digital services, AI, and emerging technologies.
- The importance of stronger job placement systems and practical market linkages, especially for freelancers, start-ups, and small businesses.
- The value of promoting inclusive and gender-responsive workplaces so that young women from underserved areas can fully participate in the digital economy.
The Way Forward
The CoE 2025 Convention reaffirmed AKRSP’s role as a convener connecting government departments, employers, youth, and AKDN agencies to co-create practical solutions. As part of its broader technology roadmap, AKRSP will continue strengthening efforts across three key verticals:
- Infrastructure and Access
- Skills Training, Pathway Creation, and Employability
- Linkages, Partnerships, and Policy Advocacy
The convention concluded with a shared commitment to building a more inclusive, tech-ready workforce ecosystem for Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral—one where employers, institutions, and youth can jointly shape a future grounded in opportunity, innovation, and decent work.
Coalition of Employers (CoE) conventions
Over the past four years, AKRSP has convened National and Regional Coalition of Employers (CoE) conventions. These annual CoEs have become important spaces where employers, academia, private-sector actors, and community institutions jointly shape Future of Work interventions for the region. Through these engagements, AKRSP has introduced employer-led trainings, apprenticeships, and internships that respond directly to market needs, especially for young women and men across GBC. Insights from these regional forums have also contributed to annual national-level CoE discussions, helping align local realities with national workforce trends and expanding opportunities for rural talent.
To build on the commitments made through these regional and national conventions and platforms, the conventions aims to renew earlier commitments and generate new, forward-looking pledges particularly for gender-responsive and employer-led training, internships, apprenticeships, and employment opportunities. By bringing together Regional and National CoE members, academia, and training service providers, the conventions create a forward-looking dialogue on marketable skills, women’s workforce participation, and industry-driven employment pathways. It also reinforces key Future of Work outputs, strengthen post-training employability for youth and women, deepen market linkages for start-ups and SGBs under BEST4WEER, and further align skills development with evolving industry demands.
