Combined bids through PPP may ‘help boost apprenticeship, mitigate manpower shortage\\\'

Combined efforts through public-private partnership (PPP) could help strengthen apprenticeship and mitigate shortage of skilled manpower in different sectors especially in the textiles to reach the target to earn US$ 50 billion in  ready-made garment (RMG) export, said speakers at a workshop in the city Wednesday.
They stressed the need for popularising apprenticeship for the benefit of the country's workforce and economic growth.
They recommended policy supports and incentives from the government and building awareness and motivational campaign on apprenticeship as a business case among employers and learners including school dropouts, unemployed adolescents and youth of eligible age and education level.
Their observations came at the workshop titled 'National Consultation Workshop on Apprenticeship Strategy for Bangladesh' organised by the government of Bangladesh, International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the government of Canada at a city hotel.
Senior Specialist of Bangladesh-Skills for Employment and Productivity (B-SEP) Project of (ILO) Francis Dilip De Silva delivered the address of welcome while Chief Executive Officer of National Skills Development Council (NSDC) ABM Korshed Alam presided over the inaugural session of the workshop.
The speakers discussed the draft national apprenticeship strategy paper prepared by the B-SEP Project of the ILO and NSDC Secretariat in close consultation with key ministries and departments, employers, workers' and civil society organizations.
Speaking as the chief guest State Minister for Labour and Employment Md Mujibul Haque Chunnu said the government will finalise the rules by April next to implement the Bangladesh Labour Act (Amendment), 2013.
He said the government will introduce dual apprenticeship system in the country after finalising the draft national apprenticeship strategy for Bangladesh.    
He expressed his satisfaction over the completion of the first draft of the strategy. He stressed urgent need for implementing it.
"Our goal to become a middle-income country by 2021 will only be possible by enhancing the capacity of the workforce and by ensuring more employment and higher wages through a better skilled workforce. This draft strategy, once finalised and endorsed by all stakeholders, will play a critical role in achieving this goal," he said.
The National Skills Development Policy (NSDP)-2011 emphasised the formulation of an apprenticeship strategy.  The draft strategy under discussion will foster a more coherent and strengthened approach towards apprenticeship in Bangladesh.
It seeks the involvement of a variety of training agencies and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) which are currently providing training both for the formal and non-formal sectors as well as the promotion of PPP to implement apprenticeship.
By doing so the apprenticeship system, which has become less popular in Bangladesh over the years, could be reinvigourated and scaled up to provide skilled staff across all sectors of the economy.
The draft strategy for apprenticeship is a step towards creating an efficient and skilled workforce for Bangladesh. The apprenticeship system has much to offer workers and industry alike.
Workers can earn as they learn while businesses can mould potential employees, many of whom usually become permanent staff.
By encouraging development of the strategy in a joint effort together with representatives of government, employers and workers' organisations could help the country to adopt a strategy capable of again making apprenticeship an integral part of industry nationwide. This will ultimately help lead to both higher levels of productivity while also reducing poverty by increasing incomes.
The five-year B-SEP Project is funded by the government of Canada through a CAD 19.5 million grant, and is designed to provide support for the implementation of the NSDP and development of a robust and more effective skills system in Bangladesh, which would allow to achieve a better trained and qualified workforce in key industry sectors in order to contribute to decent work, sustainable economic development, poverty reduction, and social inclusion.
The Ministry of Education is the implementing ministry through its Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) and ILO is the implementing agency through technical cooperation agreement.
Vice-President of Bangladesh Employers' Federation (BEF) Sabrina Islam, Chairperson of National Coordination Committee for Workers' Education (NCCWE) Zakir Hossain, Director General of DTE Md Shahjahan Mian, Chief Technical Adviser, TVET Reform Project of ILO Arthur Earl Shears, Chief Executive Officer (Additional Secretary) of NSDC ABM Korshed Alam, Chairman of Bangladesh Technical Education Board (BTEB) Dr Abdul Haque Talukder and Co-Chairperson of EC-NSDC Salahuddin Kasem Khan, among others, were present.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com