ILO stresses honing workers' skills suiting to domestic market needs
Sunday, 12 April 2009
A Z M Anas
Bangladesh should invest massively in honing workers' skills suited to the needs of domestic market, rather than for overseas jobs, a top International Labour Organisation (ILO) official has said.
"It doesn't work if you train up workers for jobs abroad," Panudda Boonpala, director at ILO Dhaka office, said.
"Instead, you take up massive programme to build workers' skills to prepare them for the local labour market. You should send skilled workers to the host countries. If you can do that, it will help earn higher remittances and better protect their rights," she told the FE last week in an interview.
Ms Boonpala, who is an expert on human resources development, noted that Bangladesh's booming apparel industry alone has 25 per cent shortage of skilled workforce.
"This industry has matured enough. It's a US$10 billion industry. But you still hire Sri Lankan technician to supervise production lines," the ILO official said.
Bangladesh's 6.3 million-strong overseas working class is employed in low-wage jobs in the oil-rich Middle-Eastern and Southeast Asian nations, but earn less than their other Asian counterparts.
Last year, migrant workers sent home $9 billion in remittances, but experts say the flow would be three times higher had Bangladesh sent skilled labourers abroad.
"Around 90 per cent of the country's total workers are engaged in the informal sector, even if the formal sector is quite large. So, it's a huge challenge to bring them into the formal economy," Ms Boonpala said.
More than 25 million (2.5 crore) workers labour in the informal economy, earning less than $2 a day, according to various estimates.
She said that workers' skills are needed to stimulate competitiveness and improve firms' productivity.
The ILO has undertaken a multi-year programme to help Bangladesh plug skill gaps of its workers employed in four sub-sectors-transport equipment, food processing, information technology and leather.
The local head of 90-year-old organization said her organization is "still relevant" and over the years has contributed a lot to crafting policies in favour of Bangladesh's working class.
"We bring ILO's global experience and expertise into Bangladesh to contribute to this country's development process."
"Decent work is at the centre of the country's second anti-poverty plan called PRSP. Every time we plan, we consult with the government. It is our crucial partner," she said.
This month, the ILO is celebrating its 9oth anniversary and also 36 years of its presence in Bangladesh.
Asked what her organisation's unique role was, she said the ILO was the only international agency that functions under a tripartite process, bringing together government, workers and employers.
The government also gives "high value" to the ILO's expertise, she said.
"In the first 10 to 15 years, we focused on supporting the employment in infrastructure and building institutions of development in the war-battered country," Ms Boonpala said.
Bangladesh joined the ILO back in 1972, just a year after the country gained independence.
In 1973, the ILO opened the country office in Bangladesh, reflecting the commitment toward a newly-independent nation.
Bangladesh should invest massively in honing workers' skills suited to the needs of domestic market, rather than for overseas jobs, a top International Labour Organisation (ILO) official has said.
"It doesn't work if you train up workers for jobs abroad," Panudda Boonpala, director at ILO Dhaka office, said.
"Instead, you take up massive programme to build workers' skills to prepare them for the local labour market. You should send skilled workers to the host countries. If you can do that, it will help earn higher remittances and better protect their rights," she told the FE last week in an interview.
Ms Boonpala, who is an expert on human resources development, noted that Bangladesh's booming apparel industry alone has 25 per cent shortage of skilled workforce.
"This industry has matured enough. It's a US$10 billion industry. But you still hire Sri Lankan technician to supervise production lines," the ILO official said.
Bangladesh's 6.3 million-strong overseas working class is employed in low-wage jobs in the oil-rich Middle-Eastern and Southeast Asian nations, but earn less than their other Asian counterparts.
Last year, migrant workers sent home $9 billion in remittances, but experts say the flow would be three times higher had Bangladesh sent skilled labourers abroad.
"Around 90 per cent of the country's total workers are engaged in the informal sector, even if the formal sector is quite large. So, it's a huge challenge to bring them into the formal economy," Ms Boonpala said.
More than 25 million (2.5 crore) workers labour in the informal economy, earning less than $2 a day, according to various estimates.
She said that workers' skills are needed to stimulate competitiveness and improve firms' productivity.
The ILO has undertaken a multi-year programme to help Bangladesh plug skill gaps of its workers employed in four sub-sectors-transport equipment, food processing, information technology and leather.
The local head of 90-year-old organization said her organization is "still relevant" and over the years has contributed a lot to crafting policies in favour of Bangladesh's working class.
"We bring ILO's global experience and expertise into Bangladesh to contribute to this country's development process."
"Decent work is at the centre of the country's second anti-poverty plan called PRSP. Every time we plan, we consult with the government. It is our crucial partner," she said.
This month, the ILO is celebrating its 9oth anniversary and also 36 years of its presence in Bangladesh.
Asked what her organisation's unique role was, she said the ILO was the only international agency that functions under a tripartite process, bringing together government, workers and employers.
The government also gives "high value" to the ILO's expertise, she said.
"In the first 10 to 15 years, we focused on supporting the employment in infrastructure and building institutions of development in the war-battered country," Ms Boonpala said.
Bangladesh joined the ILO back in 1972, just a year after the country gained independence.
In 1973, the ILO opened the country office in Bangladesh, reflecting the commitment toward a newly-independent nation.