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Alisha Ahmed, a recent graduate from a private university, got a job at a local marketing agency after applying for more than 100 jobs and staying unemployed for more than a year. She is happy about the fact that she at least got a job and is now preparing for BCS. There are countless examples of Alisha in Bangladesh. After completing a university degree at a private university in Dhaka, which costs one's family nearly Tk 10 lakh (1.0 million) or more, graduates hardly find a job. Even if they did, the starting salary was just Tk 15,000-25,000 per month. A large chunk get into the master’s programme just to manage the mental stress of being unemployed. This is the harsh reality of graduates of top universities. The allure of a bachelor's degree often blinds students and their families in Bangladesh to the reality that a four-year education doesn't always translate into financial success. The income from the initial salary throughout two to three years of professional life barely covers one's transport and meals, let alone offers any financial independence. For context, a skilled chauffeur in Dhaka earns a similar amount without spending years in higher education. This mismatch between investment and return has turned the country's education system into a costly gamble rather than a sound investment.
The root of the problem lies in the perceived prestige of a bachelor's degree as well as the mismatch of education with market demand. Families see degrees as the ultimate gateway to social mobility or stability. This perception is deeply rooted in our cultural values. Academic achievement is equated with social status and respectability whereas vocational training is often stigmatised as a fallback option for those who "couldn't make it" academically. Such cultural biases discourage students from exploring skill-based careers that could lead to financial independence.
Most public and private universities fail to provide the practical skills or networking opportunities that lead to decent-paying jobs. Moreover, we need to face the fact that we don't have enough white-collar jobs for graduates. Graduates are often left competing for government jobs or going for an MS or IELTS to study abroad, a process that can take years of additional effort, further delaying their entry into the workforce. The solution is to reimagine tertiary education completely. Technical and vocational training offers a practical alternative to the four-year degree which equips students with skills that are directly marketable. Fields like IT, automotive repair, construction, hospitality, logistics, wellness and healthcare already have significant demand in Bangladesh, yet they remain underexplored.
Germany's dual vocational training system is a perfect example for the world. By combining classroom education with hands-on apprenticeships, the country has created a workforce that is both highly skilled and globally competitive. This system is supported by strong industry-academic partnerships where businesses help design curriculums and offer paid apprenticeships. As a result, Germany enjoys one of the lowest youth unemployment rates in Europe, with trained workers filling roles in advanced manufacturing, renewable energy, and engineering services.
Bangladesh should immediately partner up with international organisations to fund and design vocational training as well as in collaboration with local corporations. We should implement a national framework for skill certification to standardise vocational training and ensure global recognition. To address the cultural stigma, we need to launch campaigns to promote the value of vocational training. These campaigns should highlight success stories of individuals thriving in technical careers and emphasise the financial stability such careers offer. The government and banks could also step in to provide microloans for vocational courses. This can be done to reskill people who have been unemployed or underemployed for a long time. We can also introduce certification programmes similar to Germany's "Meister" or Singapore's SkillsFuture, making vocational careers more prestigious and structured.
Moreover, our country needs to be practical rather than idealist in offering university programmes in certain subjects. Some of the subjects in universities that have no demand should be reconsidered.
To create an example for the country, we can start by perfecting technical and vocational education for the textile and RMG (ready-made garment) sector. Given the scope we have, Bangladesh should be able to export and lead the global textiles and RMG manufacturing sector with technical talent and vocationally trained tradesmen, not just with cheap labour. The RMG industry provides scope for a model of how sector-specific training can create a skilled workforce. This needs to be mentioned that some of our organisations have been pioneering in this cause. For example, BRAC's initiatives in technical education and vocational training (TEVT) have successfully trained thousands of youths in trades like electrical work, tailoring, and mobile phone servicing.
We can also learn from the Philippines' Overseas Workers Program. By focusing on healthcare and maritime training, the Philippines government has created a skilled labour force in demand worldwide. Bangladesh could adopt similar programmes tailored to its strengths. Learning from Australia, we can prepare and yearly update a Skilled Occupation List to ensure that training aligns with market demand. In Sri Lanka, robust hospitality training programmes have allowed Sri Lankans to secure jobs in the Middle East and Europe. Bangladesh could invest in similar programmes for the hospitality sector to grow its skilled workforce globally.
Bangladesh's fixation on traditional tertiary education is not sustainable in a world where practical skills often matter more than degrees. Given the salary scale and sheer number of graduates every year, we need to think about exporting our skilled human resources and redirect them to the right demand rather than pushing every 18-19 year old to generic university degrees. By prioritising vocational training and aligning it with global demand, the country can give its youths a fighting chance at financial independence and economic mobility. It's time to shift the focus from four-year degrees to the skills that truly pay the bills.