Training, PPP key to skilled workforce: Speakers

Business leaders have stressed on creating skilled trainers, building public-private partnership (PPP) along with improving data management for meeting the demand of skilled manpower in manufacturing and service sectors in the country.

At a webinar on Sunday, they also highlighted that there is a need of 10 lakh skilled workers in the country each year and to fulfill that need public-private partnership is a must.

The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) organised the webinar titled ‘Virtual policy dialogue on creating skilled workers and managers’ on Sunday.

FBCCI President Md Jashim Uddin chaired the webinar while chief executive officer of the trade body, Mohammad Mahfuzul Hoque, moderated the event.

Acting President of Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI) and also Chairman of Universal Medical College and Hospital Ltd, Priti Chakraborty, at the event said: “The challenges we are facing to create skilled worker and manager are mainly lack of skilled trainer, insufficient training, lack of information on number of workers needed in each sector. We do not have idea about future demand of workers either.”

“We have to make trainers skilled through local and international training sessions and these trainers can later on hold sessions all over the country. Following training sessions, each worker should get a certificate and job opportunity which will inspire them,’’ she added.

Priti Chakraborty also said that: “Skilled workers are essential to earn foreign currency. Information on sector-wise demand for workers must be created to asses sfuture demand of workers as well.”

Professor Md Mamun Ul Hoque, Director, Industry and Training Co-Ordination, Bangladesh Technical Education Board at the event said: “We are currently providing training to workers. Lack of publicity of our training programme and lack of communication with stakeholder is our failure. We made skilled workers but the stockholders have no idea about it.”

President of Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BPGMEA), Shamim Ahmed at the event said: “Skilled people always get job opportunities. In our plastic sector we are providing training to workers. Skilled instructor is also essential in every sector.”

FBCCI Director Abul Kasem Khan at the webinar said: “Currently Bangladesh is getting some demographic benefits and we must utilise them. Hospitality management and nursing has huge demand abroad. We have to develop skills in these sectors as well. Both industry people and academics have to create a linkage for better output.”

Md Jashim Uddin said, every year the government allocates a large amount of fund to create skilled manpower. “In the coming days there will be some challenges for us in order to survive. There is no alternative to resorting to public-private partnership for creating skilled workers and managers in the country.”