Training support for women in supervisory roles leads to higher productivity in the garment factories, which is also required to reach the target of exporting apparel items worth $100 billion annually, experts and industry insiders say.
They made the comments on a panel discussion titled “Addressing Skill Gaps in the Garment Industry” at the event on “Career Opportunities for Women in Bangladesh’s Garment Industry” in Dhaka on Tuesday.
At the event, an assessment report was presented, which was conducted by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) under the Better Work’s Gender Equality and Returns (GEAR) programme, funded by the European Union in partnership with University of Oxford and BRAC JPG SPH.
GEAR partnered with global apparel brands such as H&M, M&S, Levi’s, Ralph Lauren, and VF Corporation to implement this programme in their supplier factories and helped ensure high completion and promotion rates.
Over 600 women operators in 78 factories have been trained in technical skills and skills required for supervisory roles since 2016, with nine out of ten participants completing the training programme and two-thirds being promoted to supervisors.
At the supervisory level, trainees are earning 40 per cent more than similar workers not selected as trainees, with the potential for further promotions up the management ladder.
“GEAR trainees proved to be more effective as supervisors, with the lines managed by them being 4 per cent more efficient, a gap that grows with supervisory experience,” said the lead researcher of the study, Prof Christopher Woodruff of the Development Economics, University of Oxford.
“The implied cost savings exceed US$5,000 per line per year, or $100,000 for a factory with 20 lines.”
Sewing operators on GEAR-trainee managed lines were also reported to have higher levels of well-being and more satisfactory working environments because supervisors were showing a more cooperative and supportive management style, according to the study.
At the event, former Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) president and Asian University for Women (AUW) Vice-Chancellor Rubana Huq said her university has 1,345 students from different countries and most of them are from underserved communities.
Currently, 70 ready-made garment (RMG) workers are studying at the university and 36 have graduated.
“We have to make sure that the workers are scaled up for the future and we need to give them the proper skills. I urge the RMG workers to think it again, you shouldn’t stop after becoming just a supervisor from operator, you have the ability to go beyond,” Rubana said.
BGMEA Director Faisal Samad said, “Unless we start here in case the bottom up, we won't reach that goal. The workers have elevated their position after hard work. The entrepreneurs have also ups and downs. They are working hard to uphold the nation and the industry.”
He also said the apparel body needs to understand the challenges women face. Moreover, the BGMEA is strong enough to bring it to the ministry level as they want to progress to the next level.
“Along with $100 billion target, skilled workforce is must even to sustain the current $50 billion export annually,” Faisal said.
Syeda Afzalun Nessa, head of corporate sustainability, HSBC Bangladesh, said the IFC did great work and no one can do anything alone without stepping up together.
“HSBC-AUW School of Apparel was a dream two years back, now it is a reality. It was such a brilliant partnership with AUW and I would say the best outcome as possible,” she added.
IFC Global Director for Manufacturing‚ Agribusiness and Services Wagner Albuquerque de Almeida said, “Having an adequately skilled labour force is critical to the continued growth of the industry which needs to tap into the broadest possible talent pool.”
