Businesses stress skill development of workers in industries
They said that more emphasis should be put on better education and training to create skilled manpower
Business people of the country on Sunday (2 June) put emphasis on coordinated efforts of industries and academia to include industrial education in educational institutions.
Speaking at the FBCCI standing committee meeting on skill development, they said due to the lack of skilled manpower in the industries of the country, additional manpower is required to run machineries and other activities.
As a result, manpower must be brought from abroad to operate the factory machinery with high salary, they said.
Besides, the businesses said that due to lack of skills, Bangladeshi workers have to work at lower wages than the workers of neighbouring countries even when they go abroad.
In this situation, they said that more emphasis should be put on better education and training to create skilled manpower in the country.
FBCCI President Mahbubul Alam attended the meeting virtually.
At the event, Senior Vice President of FBCCI Amin Helali said the huge population of Bangladesh is an asset for the country. "It is important to acquire technical skills to utilise this resource."
He said that the government has various steps and willingness to create skilled manpower. "Our businessmen have to work together by cooperating with the government."
Director-in-charge of the committee BM Shoaib said that the current era is the era of robotics, automation.
"Many industrial plants are running on robotics, automation. But still there is a need for manpower in garment, spinning and engineering industries."
He mentioned that due to lack of skills, the production here is less compared to China and Japan.
"There are opportunities to work here. It is important to include the subject of skill development in various sectors in the academic curriculum."
Chairman of the committee Shafiqur Rahman Bhuiyan said there is no substitute to skill development to transform Bangladesh into a developed country.
"If there is lack of skills, productivity, growth in exports and export earnings—all will be hampered."
In the meeting, a presentation was screened on the areas of skill development in Bangladesh and what to do.
The presentation emphasised on improving education and training systems, facilitating access to training, aligning academia with industry, aligning academic curriculum with advanced technology, reducing gender disparity, etc.
FBCCI Director Niaz Ali Chishti, Committee Co-Chairmen, Members were also present in the meeting.