FRESH graduates in Pakistan face a persistent paradox. Companies claim to hire them to develop raw talent, yet they often disqualify candidates who fit this description. Employers expect graduates to have corporate exposure, leadership experience and industry knowledge, which fresh graduates have not had the chance to acquire. As a result, companies wonder why their Management Trainee Officer (MTO) batches underperform, while graduates feel that the system is impossible to navigate.

This mismatch is closely connected to the education system. Pakistani colleges and universities often focus heavily on theory, leaving students unprepared for practical work. A few structured programs develop decision-making, teamwork or leadership skills and limited access to internships prevents students from gaining real-world experience. Without these skills, graduates are forced to rely on commercial setups that prioritize cost over development and may expose........

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