PepsiCo, one of the world’s leading companies for food and beverages, is commemorating International Youth Day by highlighting “Roshan Kal”, a progressive and inclusive internship program.
One of the largest initiatives for youth skills development in Pakistan, this initiative is powered by a one-of-a-kind collaboration with prestigious private-sector organizations from diverse industries such as KFC, Hum Network, Lucky Core Cement, and Daraz, joining forces for youth empowerment.
Roshan Kal represents PepsiCo Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to creating an environment that facilitates growth and equal opportunities for the youth of Pakistan, enabling a future where they can positively contribute to the development of their respective communities and the nation.
What sets Roshan Kal apart is its core ethos of reaching every graduating student across Pakistan through a hybrid approach, targeting students from smaller cities, and ensuring 50% gender diversity while mobilizing a multi-industry collaboration. This comprehensive internship program has been intricately designed to offer a holistic approach to professional learning and career development fostering a growth mindset.
Roshan Kal aims to embrace and champion the diversity, uniqueness, and individuality of the youth, acknowledging the fact that everyone brings a unique set of skills, talent, and perspectives that can be refined to produce an extraordinary force for socioeconomic progress. For the first cohort of the Roshan Kal internship program, an application was rolled out in partnership with Pakistan’s premium job site Rozee.pk, through which thousands of applications were received and merit-based internships awarded by a joint panel of experts from partner organizations.
Selected interns are being given the opportunity to work across different participating organizations and will get the chance to engage and build a network with mentors from all over Pakistan.Through the streamlined partnership with Rozee.pk, PepsiCo Pakistan has delivered a digital platform to simplify the application process for candidates that will also build a strong alumni network.
Speaking about the program, Furqan Ahmed Syed, CEO of PepsiCo Pakistan said, “PepsiCo is devoted to empowering the youth of Pakistan as they are the architects of our future. Roshan Kal leverages collaboration with 18 partner organizations to provide young adults the opportunity to acquire insights into diverse and complex industries, enabling them to develop unique and multi-faceted skills while cultivating leadership capabilities, critical thinking, and innovation required for the future-fit youth of Pakistan.
This is part of our larger commitment to youth development, in line with our long-standing partnership for the Amal Career-Prep Fellowship program with Amal Academy, which has been supported by the PepsiCo Foundation since 2018 and recently celebrated the graduation of 10,000 Amal Fellows. The positive impact created is evinced through the 88% alumni who are now engaged in wide-ranging jobs and entrepreneurial ventures, with a significant women representation raising the bar on equity and diversity.”
Sarah Hassan, Senior HR Director at PepsiCo Pakistan added, “Roshan Kal is the embodiment of the values that underscore PepsiCo’s global PepsiCo Positive (pep+)sustainability agenda. Much like our collaborative community uplift projects such as Millions of Meals, Farmer Day Care, and PepsiCo – IRM Smart Schools, RoshanKal represents PepsiCo’s dedication to initiatives that benefit individuals and communities while working towards a more sustainable and inclusive future.
The launch of Roshan Kal is not just a milestone for us at PepsiCo Pakistan but for the entire nation, as we leverage our key partnerships, capabilities, and influence to address critical societal priorities like youth empowerment. On this International Youth Day, we reiterate our commitment to creating a ripple effect of opportunities for youth that will resonate far beyond this program.” Through collaborating and acting on the shared vision of investing in youth empowerment, PepsiCo Pakistan aims to build a talent community and reach every graduating student, empowering and upskilling them for future entry-level roles in the market.
