Bangladeshi youth’s lack of access to relevant, high-quality skills training has resulted in a critical shortfall of skilled workers. Of the 60 million workers in the domestic labour market, only 1% them have completed some vocational skills training.
Even those who are trained are not necessarily as qualified as many existing training programs were designed decades ago, and no longer reflect industry requirements or technological advancement.
Without skills, workers are only usually able to secure poorly-paid menial jobs in the informal economy.
Continuing along the current growth path could lead the country into a “low-skill, low-productivity” trap. With effective and appropriate vocational education and training, these men and women have the potential to be skilled and productive.
An improved skills system would help raise industry productivity and drive industries up the value chain, contributing to poverty-reduction and economic growth.
The government, with support from the International Labour Organisation and the government of Canada, is working on addressing both the demand and supply sides of the skills equation.
The ILO’s approach to skills development is to create systemic changes and reforms within industry and training institutions for decent employment.
Key pillars of ILO’s approach to skills, employment, and productivity are policy reform, strengthening training institution capacity, promoting partnerships, and creating demand for skills among workers and employers.
Promoting effective skills development policies
The government’s National Skills Development Policy, which was endorsed in 2012, addresses the quality of institutions, training, trainers, and assessors. It also reinvigorates alternative routes of learning, such as the apprenticeship system and recognises prior learning based on experience.
To support this policy, a National Technical Vocational Quality Framework (NTVQF), which sets market-driven competency standards, is being developed with support from ILO in collaboration with industries to ensure that training meets their skills demand.
This framework will raise the standard of training provided and the certification will help workers claim fair pay in line with their qualifications.
However, there are 23 ministries engaged in the skills development arena and over 14,500 training institutes, so rolling out and mainstreaming the NTVQF is a challenging, though, necessary task.
It requires assessment of skills demand, development of competency standards for identified occupations in demand, and capacity building of training institutes, trainers, and assessors.
Once established, competency standards and certification will help migrant workers too.
Remittances from labour migration form a major pillar of the national economy, despite the fact that the majority of migrants are either unskilled or low-skilled.
Improving the skills of migrant workers and providing them with internationally accepted certification could drastically improve both the future growth of remittances and the types of work opportunities (and working conditions) that expatriate workers are able to access abroad.
Studies show in overseas jobs, Bangladeshi workers earn less than Indians who earn less than Sri Lankans, who earn less than Filipinos.
Improving the skills and certifications of migrant workers will help them secure better pay abroad.
Improving the capacity of training institutes
Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions suffer from an acute shortage of adequately trained staff and modern infrastructure.
There aren’t sufficient qualified trainers or assessors in the new system.
ILO is supporting the government to improve the facilities at several training institutions, to create demonstration models which can be replicated.
The government also plans to establish a national centre for skills development centered on two existing institutions, the Vocational Teacher Training Institute and the Technical Teacher Training Centre, to help share good practices and learning within the field.
Another challenge is the lack of modern technology and computers at training centres. ILO is encouraging the government to be innovative to overcome this challenge, through initiatives like Public-Private-Partnerships (PPP).
A PPP between the Graphics Institute of Bangladesh and a printing company allows students to practice with technology and supplies provided by the company, as well gain practical experience by working there part -time.
Working with employers to understand needs
To strengthen the link between industry needs and skills development, Industry Skills Councils have been formed in eleven industries so far including agro-food processing and information technology.
Remittances from labour migration form a major pillar of the national economy, despite the fact that the majority of migrants are either unskilled or low-skilled
Previously, training was delivered without employment in mind and without knowing the “skills needs” of the employers. This trend is changing.
Furthermore, the government is encouraging companies to offer apprenticeships and internships to students who need real experience to get a job. Employers are also being sensitised to include persons with disabilities and women in their work place.
Social marketing to increase demand for skills
Currently, demand for skills training is low among youths. Many potential trainees are socially biased against vocational training for its low image and lack of social acceptance, or unaware of the benefits.
Therefore, they would rather opt for a private university degree, regardless of the subsequent job opportunities.
To improve the outreach of TVET, ILO assisted National Skills Development Council to develop a social marketing strategy that brings together government and NGOs, development partners, and the media -- to spread a unified and consistent message about the benefits of TVET.
Skills development can also contribute to gender equality by empowering women to access skilled occupations in the formal economy with higher salaries and more secure employment conditions.
The Department of Technical Education (DTE), with support from ILO, is piloting several training programs for women in non-traditional occupations such as carpentry and air condition repair. For poor people, especially single mothers, skills can help lead to sustained graduation out of poverty.
As these measures are set up, monitoring and evaluation systems are being put in place. ILO extended support to the National Skills Development Council to set up a database to track the demand and supply of skilled labour.
An improved skill development system will improve the local economy, expand employment opportunities for millions of Bangladeshis, and help contribute in providing decent work for all.
Srinivas Reddy is the Country Director of ILO Bangladesh.