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Market-specific skill development of youths should be in centre of strategies to get benefits from the brief window of demographic dividend in the country, speakers opine at a programme on Thursday.
Their opinion came at the award giving ceremony of Bangabandhu National Skills Competition-2021 organised by National Skills Development Authority (NSDA).
The programme was held at the Biniyog Bhaban auditorium in the city's Agargaon where seven individuals were announced champion in seven out of 13 categories.
Secretary to the Prime Minister's Office Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah addressed the event as the chief guest while secretary of the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Dr Ahmed Munirus Saleheen spoke as the special guest at the event presided over by NSDA executive chairman Dulal Krishna Saha.
Delivering his speech, Mr Miah said the more the country is getting connected globally and receiving foreign investment, the more the necessity of skill development is being felt.
He said a slew of educational institutions have been established in the country but after graduating from many of them, youths are not getting desired jobs due to a dearth of skills.
Referring that the private organisations have been struggling to recruit skilled workers, he said sector-specific skill development is required to meet the growing demands from the private sector.
Emphasising the need for re-skilling teachers first, the PMO secretary said, "There is acute shortage of skilled teachers in the country. It is not that we don't have good teachers but there has been narrow scope for them to upgrade their skills as per industry demands."
He hoped that NSDA will closely work to upgrade skills of workers as well as their trainers.
Mr Saleheen said there are 23 ministries that work directly in different skill development initiatives which need better coordination for better impact.
He mentioned that about 2.5 million youths compete in the job market every year of which about 0.7 million go abroad in search of works.
Referring to an upward trend of remittance inflow in the country over the past two years, he said, "It is true that Bangladesh has seen an increase in remittance inflow in recent years; but compared with the global context, our per capita remittance is the lowest in the world."
It has happened due to lower level of technical skills of Bangladeshi workers, he said, adding: "Our training institutions and training modules should be internationally accredited so that the workers can compete globally for better jobs and payment."
The final round of the skills competition was held from December 29-30 at four venues in the capital.
This year's awardees are-Abdul Muttadir in painting and decorating, Pritam Kumar Das in plastering and drywall systems, Lamia Nasib Raisa in fashion technology, Nazmul Haque Naqib in web technologies, Sabbir Hossain Ridoy in bakery, Mumtahina Jafrin in patisserie and confectionary, and Sheikh Tasnia Tabassum in cooking.
However, there was no champion in the categories of cloud computing, print media technology, IT network system administration, welding, cooking, and restaurant services.