National Freelance Training Program

In Pakistan, the Ministry of Information Technology & Telecommunication has the vision to provide different Freelancing Training programs to empower the youth of Pakistan. The National Freelance Training Program (NFTP) has been designed to bring this vision into reality, which provides training to all interested freelancers across Pakistan’s provinces. The primary purpose of NFTP is to achieve sustainable economic growth through women’s empowerment by reducing gender inequality. 

The Federal Government is working very hard to promote the information technology (IT) industry, which creates new investment opportunities and significantly increases the number of jobs. The National Freelance Training Program has collaborated with some of the top universities in Pakistan and their faculty members to offer different courses and training programs. 

The National Freelance Training program has set up about 20 centers in 18 different cities of Pakistan under the government. NFTP has successfully trained more than 21,000 students, earning a handsome amount.

Scope of National Freelance Training Program

The scope of NFTP involves providing training and support to individuals interested in working as freelancers.

Some of the critical areas that National Freelance Training Programs cover are as follows.

Business Skills 

These skills include training in managing finances, developing business plans, and managing client relationships.

Specific Skills

It also provides training on specific skills related to that industry, such as web development, writing, graphic design, or accounting.

Legal and Regulatory Issues

Freelancers must navigate a complex legal and regulatory landscape, so a training program guides tax requirements, contracts, and intellectual property laws.

Professional Development

Freelancers should be able to manage their time effectively, stay motivated, and continue to develop their skills and knowledge over time. A training program might provide resources and guidance on these topics.

Courses and the Training Programs

The NFTP is offering the following courses and training programs.

1. Freelancing

Freelancing refers to a self-employment model in which individuals work for multiple clients on a project-by-project basis without committing to a company. Freelancers are usually skilled professionals who offer their services to clients on a contract basis. Freelancing can involve various services, such as writing, editing, graphic design, programming, web development, social media management, accounting, etc.

In Freelancing, you will learn how to capitalize on your knowledge and experience on top freelancing platforms such as Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer.com, and PeoplePerHour. From all these platforms, you can earn online in Pakistan.

2. Technical

It is better for web developers and programmers. It would help if you knew some of today’s most helpful development and software programming tools, such as CSS, SQL, WordPress, PHP, and others:

  • Web development basics
  • A brief intro to programming languages
  • Introduction to databases
  • Theme building and development of websites through WordPress

3. Creative Designing

Creative designing involves using imagination and innovation to create visual designs that effectively communicate a message or idea. Creativity plays a crucial role in the design field in different areas, such as graphic design, product design, and web design. Creative designers often use various tools and methods to generate ideas and visualize concepts, such as sketching, prototyping, and computer-aided design (CAD) software. The NFTP provides a range of courses in the discipline of graphic design. People have the opportunity to learn about different types of logos.

  • Creative logo design
  • Corporate identity kit
  • Adobe Suite training

Read More: Professional Freelancing Training Program (PFTP)

4. Content Marketing and Advertising

Content marketing and advertising courses are designed to teach individuals or businesses how to create valuable and relevant content that attracts and retains a clearly defined audience. Advertising is a paid marketing strategy that includes placing ads on different platforms to promote a product or service. The objective of advertising is to increase brand awareness and increase sales. Advertising can be in various forms, which include Display Ads, Search Engine Ads, Social Media Ads, Video Ads, etc. 

Content marketing and advertising are different approaches, but they can complement each other to achieve marketing goals. For example, Content marketing can provide great content that can be used in various advertising campaigns, and advertising can bring traffic to the content created for the content marketing strategy.

By enrolling in the courses offered by NFTP, professionals can learn about social media strategies, creative content creation, Blogging, SEO, and digital marketing tactics:

  • Creating Engaging Content
  • Digital Marketing
  • Blogging
  • SEO

Eligibility Criteria

The following are the eligibility criteria for registration on NFTP:

  • You must be below 40 and have at least 14 years of education to apply to this program.
  • CNIC and Domicile certificates are also required to register for the NFTP.
  • Students already enrolled in one of the partnered institutes of the program need to submit their valid student ID number and some other relevant documents if required.

How to apply for the National Freelance Training Program

  • First of all, you should visit the NFTP official website.
  • After opening the website, click the register button and be prompted to enter your CNIC.
  • Before selecting the “agree” option, you should carefully read the terms and conditions.
  • After that, you will open a form requiring you to enter your contact, personal, academic, and professional details.
  • After that, you’ll receive a confirmation email with a link and your login information.
  • However, you must pass an online test to be eligible for the NFTP within 48 hours of submitting your application and creating your account.
  • You must attempt the 30 MCQs online Test within 3r 0 minutes, and this test you must have to clear within the next 48 hours.
  • After trying the test, you will receive a confirmation email from the NFTP for successful enrollment if you pass the test. If you do not take the test, your application will be rejected.

Process of NFTP

This is the method of getting admission and degree from NFTP:

  • Registration
  • Fill Application Form
  • Online Test
  • Test Passed
  • Documents submission and Verification
  • Fee Submission
  • Orientation
  • Training 
  • Graduate

This is the process of NFTP to get admission and graduate in NFTP.

process-of-NFTP
Process of NFTP

Duration of National Freelancing Training Program

The duration of courses in the National Freelancing Training Program is at least 3 months. After three months, candidates take tests and must provide the successful ones with an achievement certificate. There are about three batches for all the systems in a year.

Universities associated with NFTP

The universities are associated with NFTP and offer different courses and training programs.

Punjab

  • National Textile University, Faisalabad
  • University of Education, Lahore
  • University of Education, Multan
  • PMAS-Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi
  • The Islamia University, Bahawalpur

SINDH

  • Mehran UET, Jamshoro
  • Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur
  • NED Karachi
  • QUEST Nawabshah, Nawabshah 
  • IBA Sukkur, Sukkur

KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA

  • Institute of Management Sciences (IMSciences), Peshawar
  • University of Engineering & Technology Mardan, Mardan
  • University of Malakand, Malakand

BALOCHISTAN

  • Balochistan University of Engineering and Technology, Khuzdar
  • Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences
  • University of Balochistan, Quetta
  • Balochistan University of Engineering and Technology, Turbat

GILGIT BALTISTAN

  • Karakoram International University. Gilgit

AZAD JAMMU & KASHMIR

  • University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Muzaffarabad 

FEDERAL

  • International Islamic University, Islamabad

Is NFTP Free?

All the courses offered by NFTP are highly subsidized. Participants only have to pay the registration fee while getting enrolled. Students who applied for NFTP and were selected for the study are asked to submit the registration fee. The registration fee varies from center to center and ranges between 1000-3000 PKR for different courses. Students have to pay only this fee one time during the period. For fee details, kindly visit the website www.nftp.pitb.gov.pk/ and select your desired institute.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

No, you can only apply for one course.

Yes, there will be a 30-minute online test consisting of MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions) of General Knowledge and Analytical Reasoning.

No, you cannot apply for another session of NFTP if you are already an NFTP graduate.

Yes, everyone who completes the training successfully will be awarded the certificate.

Registrations start every quarter when one batch graduates and the registration for the next batch will start.