Three BD youths to compete in global skills contest

Three Bangladeshi youths are ready to contest in an international skills competition for the second time to show their proficiencies in trades like bakery, culinary and fashion technology.
The competition styled 'World Skills Competition-2022 Special Edition (WSC2022SE) will be held between October 07 and 28 in Switzerland and Finland.
National Skills Development Authority (NSDA) executive chairman Nasreen Afroz introduced the participants with stakeholders and the media at a press conference held at her office in Agargaon area on Tuesday.
The contestants are Sabbir Hossain Hridoy who will compete in bakery, Sheikh Tasnia Tabassum in cooking and Lamia Nasif Raisa in fashion technology.
Ms Afroz briefed that the NSDA hosted Bangabandhu National Skills Competition-2021 with the contestants skilled in 13 trades to pick national-level finalists and prepare them for the global competition.
The NSDA, an agency under the Prime Minister's Office, has been working to develop human capital, enhance skills, their standaradisation and certification, and to raise social acceptance of technical skills.
"The government formed the NSDA in line with its vision to create job opportunities for the youth at home and abroad through skills development," said Ms Afroz.
Responding to queries, she spoke about a gap between demand and supply for skilled people in different trades, although a good number of youths are coming out as graduates annually.
"We're now working to popularise technical skills in the country through multiple programmes," she cited, adding that the situation is improving gradually.
Bangladesh's representation in the special edition of the competition will play a vital role in promoting technical skills, according to the NSDA chief.
In 2017, Bangladesh was awarded full membership of the World Skills International (WSI), which organises the global event.
The country participated in the 45th edition of the competition in 2019 for the first time.
NSDA members, officials and skills experts, among others, were present at the conference.
NSDA member Md Nurul Amin said the NSDA is developing a national skills portal to facilitate all the activities related to skills development and their certification.