Educo Bangladesh and ESDO have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with six employer organisations to boost employment opportunities for the selected youths under the LIFT project.
The joint signing ceremony was held in collaboration with the following partners: Navana CNG, Pran-RFL group, Badhon group, CCLUB Resort & Convention Hall, Bhawal resort and Aziz Air Services.
This initiative falls under the "Leveraging Youth Employment in Bangladesh through Improving Their Employability and Competitiveness to Fit with the 21st Century Job Market (LIFT)" project.
The project aims to enhance the employability and technical skills of the marginalized youth in Dhaka city across 10 thanas, empowering them to compete in an evolving and dynamic 21st-century job market.
The main goal of the project is to enhance the employability of 300 disadvantaged youth (aged 16-22) and create sustainable, productive employment opportunities for them.
As part of the initiative, various skill development training and workshops were organised to equip the youth with the 21st century job market competencies.
The collaboration between the aforementioned organisations is strengthening the implementation process of the project, making it more effective.
Guardians who were present at the event emphasised that the project has expanded employment opportunities for youth in Dhaka and helped them to improve their socio-economic conditions.
The chief guest at the event was Afzal Kabir Khan, manager, child labour elimination, Educo Bangladesh. Faruk Hossen, project coordinator – LIFT project, ESDO, shared detailed insights on the project’s activities and significance. Additionally, Shariar Mahmud, head of TVET at ESDO, highlighted the significance of TVET and how this initiative will help to build a skilled human resource for the country.
Representatives from Suzuki Motors, TVS Motors, Fair Group, partner TVET institutions, district social service officials, trainees, their guardians, media representatives as well as other officers from Educo and ESDO were also present.
Afzal Kabir Khan said: "LIFT is a unique initiative that provides selected participants with six months of technical and soft skills training and a decent work opportunity. As part of this initiative, we have signed an MoU with employers' organisations. Facilitating access to appropriate work will play a vital role in improving their quality of life."
He added: "This joint initiative will not only improve their livelihoods but also contribute to the country's overall economic development."
At the event, representatives of the employers’ organisations said that the youth have been trained in various trades in line with the demands of the 21st-century job market, which has facilitated the availability of skilled manpower across different industries.
The speakers also urged Educo to continue such initiatives in the future.
They expressed that through the LIFT project, underprivileged youth will not only enhance their employability but also be engaged in decent work, which will contribute to the local economy and long-term sustainable development.
