CEO's Message
Bangladesh with its immense populace is on the top edge now to skill manpower to turn it into an economic wheel from the traditional unproductive icon. Many programs are initiated for last couple of years on this burning issue by GOB, Donor Agencies, NGOs and Private sector led stakeholders. It’s now unanimously accepted that a concerted effort between all agencies is needed for workplace skills development which would be led by market driven forces (e.g. industry stakeholders) to make the impact more sustainable.
The main challenge for the skill development system is to overcome its inadequate orientation to the labor market. Formal providers of technical and vocational education and training do not have strong linkages with the private sector employers that drive the changing patterns of labor demand, nor do they have proper incentives to build those connections, which would ensure that skill development courses are relevant and useful to potential new employees and the employers.
There’s no doubt that apprenticeship is one of the key instruments of developing workforce vis-à-vis economic growth as it facilitates the supply of highly skilled and competitive workforces to the industry. Apprenticeship system helps prospective workers gain hands-on experience in their chosen fields. Employers often want workers with experience, and it is difficult to get experience without employment. Apprenticeship bridges the gap.
Substantial momentum has been built to accelerate the reforms in TVET. Work has begun in re-aligning and new decentralized TVET environment. A new advocacy and marketing strategy for TVET is unfolding. Much remains to be done. The expansion of the competency-based education commitment will require a great deal of determination and consistency and this is the basis of all other components of the desired TVET system. Installing the quality assurance systems that will give industry confidence and create a framework for equivalency will take some years of training providers and a real marketing process to convince the TVET system that it is worthwhile.
We need to establish new types of partnerships, networks and alliances between diverse stakeholders. These relationships should support innovative resourcing arrangements to ensure more efficient, equitable and sustainable system. Moreover, where employers benefit from the availability of skilled personnel, they can also share their expertise and offer access to relevant technologies, mentoring and work placement opportunities. Multilateral and bilateral partners, as well as non-governmental organizations, can complement these efforts at the country level