Bangladesh needs a pool of knowledge and skill-based talents for the next 15 to 20 years to tap the growing opportunities for the country's manufacturing sector, Syed Nasim Manzur, president of MCCI, said in the city on Friday.
"There is substantial opportunity for Bangladesh in the next 15 to 20 years due to its demographic dividend, and that is in manufacturing sector. This is the time when Bangladesh can maximise its opportunity to do some great things, both for export and domestic sectors."
Along with this other service sectors, like -- telecom, IT, insurance and banking, will come, he also said.
His comments came at a dialogue on 'Employability to Bridge Skills Gap' at Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), Dhaka conference hall in the city.
About 120 students of three universities -- Dhaka University (DU), University of Liberal Arts (ULAB) and American International University of Bangladesh (AIUB) - participated in the dialogue, organised for the second time as part of a series of such programme.
In the first dialogue former president of India APJ Abdul Kalam was the keynote speaker.
Syed Nasim Manzur moderated the dialogue, while ACI managing director Arif Dowla gave the keynote speech.
Mr Nasim, also managing director of Apex Footwear Limited, told the participating students: "I encourage you to explore opportunities in manufacturing sector. Because we need talents like you in the sector."
Citing the example of starting salaries for lab technicians and pharmaceutical officers or other people with technical degrees, he said their salaries are much higher than those of the BBAs and MBAs, but many people do not know this.
"Don't just limit yourself to general degrees, and make sure you have some specialised degrees that make you valuable."
Mr Nasim also emphasised acquiring degrees on food, agriculture and footwear technologies, where there is skill gap.
In his keynote speech, Mr Arif Dowla said job-seekers should focus on constant learning and self-confidence as their guiding principle, by which anyone can reach his or her desired destination within five to 10 years of starting his career.
He said one may have some hiccups in the initial few years of one's career. These years may not provide an ideal situation. But the attitude of constant learning and self-confidence should be the guiding principle.
"If you have that attitude, within five to 10 years you will be able to reach the destination you want, provided that other factors, like - to learn and adapt as well as to have a sense of purpose etc, are there."
Opposing the concept of 'brain-drain', Mr Arif said it is not brain-drain if any student goes abroad for higher studies, and he becomes an asset to the country.
It should be looked upon very positively, and it is the responsibility of the Bangladeshi educational institutions to attract such students, he added.
University Grant Commission (UGC) secretary Md Khaled said there is no system in place, introduced by the government, which can help inform about needs and requirements of the industries and what types of skills the job-seekers should have.
"We need sector-based skills council to bridge the present skill-gap," he opined.
Citing the example of India, Mr Khaled also said the country has skills development policy and 15 sector skill councils. On the other hand, the UK has National Occupational Standard to set the performance standard.
ACI Limited chairman M Anis Ud Dowla, Grameen Phone head of leadership and people development Mohammad Naimuzzaman, MCCI secretary general Farooq Ahmed, and senior manager of human resources of the Square Fakhrul Hasan also spoke, among others, on the occasion.
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