Ali Siddiq

I’m an Acumen Fellow and the CEO & Co-founder of Amal Academy - a Pakistan-based nonprofit focused on helping our youth and education system reach their full potential. Our flagship program is a Career-Prep Fellowship that empowers underserved university students by developing their critical thinking, self-efficacy, and growth mindset, along with an attitude and skills to help them land quality employment and live more meaningful, values-driven lives. We’ve already graduated 12,500 Fellows from 125 universities and 175 towns across Pakistan (including 41% women), and our Fellows have a 3-month job success rate of 80%. I’ve previously worked as a Senior Manager in PESP-2, a DFID-funded program to improve all aspects of primary education in Pakistan’s Punjab province. Prior to this, I was in the US, where I’ve worked in both technology and strategy roles including at The MathWorks, American Airlines, and Amazon.com. I have a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, an MS from the Ohio State University, and an MBA from the University of Notre Dame (USA).

Leveling the playing field, the truth, animals, nature, family

64% of Pakistan’s population is under 30 years old. That’s 150 million young people, and of these, only 4 million have university degrees. These are the people that should be poised to lead the country. Yet 31% of them are unemployed, the result of an education system that relies on rote learning and inhibits creativity and self-confidence. Something needs to shift.

Dad jokes :)