A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between BGCCI and PSES programme to provide skill-building training to the mid-level managers of the ready-made garment sector in Dhaka.
High officials of Bangladesh German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BGCCI) and German development cooperation agency GIZ inked the deal on behalf of their respective sides in the city on Sunday.
The agreement is to start providing technical, vocational and educational trainings (TVET) to the RMG factories through a pilot school by Bangladesh Institute of Management (BIM).
In the pilot project, as many as 300 mid-level workers will get the privilege to attend the programme from more than a hundred factories, said officials.
The MoU was signed under the Promotion of Social and Environmental Standards (PSES) programme.
PSES is a joint project of the governments of Bangladesh and Germany, implemented by German development cooperation agency GIZ.
“Ready-made garment sector is lacking skill required to make better quality cloths that give higher revenue and it is high time we address the shortage of skilled workers and mid-level managers in the industry,” said BGCCI Executive Director Daniel Seidl.
BGCCI President Sakhawat Abu Khair said the production efficiency is as low as 20% to a ceiling of 40% at a few factories and efficiency can easily be increased to 50% through some fundamental training sessions.
GIZ Country Director Olaf Handloegten said: “The lack of qualified workers and mid-level managers is a key constraint to the growth and diversification of Bangladesh’s export oriented RMG and textile sector.”
According to him, the affected reputation of the country’s RMG sector could be salvaged by meeting the shortfall of skilled workforce.
“Shortage of skills holds back productivity and consequently, workers’ incomes, and as such needs to be urgently addressed.”
Industry experts believe more five-million works to join the sector and the possibilities of the industry growth are limitless if a significant portion of the newcomers are trained, said Olaf Handloegten.
Areas such as the setup of TVET pilot school, development of demand-driven curricula, job placement, social compliance and fire safety trainings, development of staff expertise and acquisition are covered in the agreement signed.
“We must think the height RMG industry can reach in the next five years if most of the factories notch up the efficiency and quality of output rather than manufacturing for India and China by taking sub contracts and move up the ladder in the industry globally,” said Daniel Seidl.
He added: “BGCCI will assess the joint TVET school project by identifying organisations for placing skilled mid-level managers especially women and guarantee better jobs to at least 80% of the graduates.”
At the function, BGCCI officials informed about its on-going project to write a book about successful businesspersons who spun out of the blue in several sectors to improve the global image of the country’s business opportunities.
Promotion of Social and Environmental Standards (PSES) programme coordinator Magnus Schmid also spoke.