Lahore: (RightNow) Securing employment has become a major issue for young graduates in Pakistan. Annually, approximately 450,000 to 800,000 degree holders graduate, with 31% to 33% remaining unemployed.

Recent statistics reveal that the unemployment rate among 20 to 24-year-olds is 32.8%. This indicates that every third graduate in this age group is jobless.

According to a PIDE report, unemployment among engineers has reached 23.5%, while 42.3% of female degree holders aged 20 to 24 are also unemployed.

The Labor Force Survey indicates that the total number of unemployed individuals in the country has reached nearly 8 million. In Punjab, 3.5 million, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 1.2 million, Sindh 1 million, and Balochistan 200,000 people are unemployed.

It is important to note that experts attribute the lack of market-relevant curricula and economic slowdown as primary reasons.