Prothom Alo :
Nurul Islam: The problem is not with producing skilled workers. Bangladesh already has many institutions that provide skills training. There are numerous projects and several ministries involved.
The Ministry of Education, through its Technical and Madrasa Education Division, is one of the largest providers of skills training.
Under the National Skills Development Authority (NSDA), currently 23 ministries and agencies are engaged in skills development. The NSDA itself operates under the Prime Minister’s Office.
The main problem is that we do not actually know what skills are in demand overseas. We have no comprehensive data or studies identifying which trades are needed, what level of expertise employers require, or what certifications they expect.
We often say there is huge demand for skilled workers, but we do not know the specific qualifications or competency levels required. As a result, we train people, but when they go abroad, employers tell them their skills do not match the job requirements.
Take welding as an example. Bangladesh has reasonably good facilities for training welders, even at advanced levels. If we could identify where welders are needed and what level of certification employers require, we could send highly skilled welders abroad who would earn good salaries. But that information is missing. Instead, we simply keep saying there is enormous demand for caregivers across Europe, Japan and South Korea.
However, we do not identify what standards those caregivers must meet. What language proficiency do they need? What communication skills, soft skills or basic qualifications are required? We do not address these questions.
Everywhere—from talk shows to seminars—we hear that there is huge demand for caregivers. Bangladesh is producing caregivers, but they are unable to secure jobs overseas because their qualifications do not match employers' requirements. Different countries require different language skills, and without those language skills they cannot qualify. The same problem applies to technical occupations such as electricians and welders. Their skills often fail to match what foreign employers are looking for.
