FE REPORT
Global fashion company Phillips-Van Heusen (PVH) Corporation hosted a job fair recently in collaboration with US Agency for International Development (USAID) and Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE) to boost job opportunities for women in the country's readymade garment (RMG) sector.
Held in Chattogram, the event aimed to connect women jobseekers directly with employers and local service providers. This initiative is part of USAID's 'Women Thrive in Bangladesh Activity' project, according to a statement. Nearly 1,000 women attended the fair.
Four garment exporting companies -- Four H Fashions, Clifton Textiles and Apparels, Pacific Jeans, Desh Group of Companies -- along with BD jobs and a number of NGOs set up booths at the fair to share job opportunities and provide career counselling services.
Besides, the fair also provided direct interviews and networking opportunities for job aspirants and employers in the RMG sector, aiming to create employment for the youth, particularly for young women.
Inaugurated by Farida Khanom, deputy commissioner of Chattogram, the event was attended by Sipan Chowdhury, deputy inspector general of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, Zia Haider Khan, senior advisor of Corporate Responsibility at PVH Corporation, and Luthmela Farid, director, Pacific Jeans.
Mehrul Islam, interim deputy country director, Program for CARE Bangladesh, Zehra Simeen Islam Rahim, director - People and Culture, and Aamanur Rahman, chief of party of Thrive Activity at CARE Bangladesh, were also present, among others.
In recent years, Thrive project has organised job fairs for working women across various sectors, including the workers of the garment industry, which witnessed enthusiastic participation from both employers and female job seekers.
Building on this success, the project expanded its initiative to Chattogram, according to the statement.
Implemented by CARE Bangladesh, the Thrive project of USAID collaborates with the global brand PVH to empower women in the RMG sector.
The project provides a combination of professional skills and leadership development training for female RMG workers in PVH Corporation's supply chain factories and communities.
The project aims to train more than 100,000 women workers in RMG factories and communities by 2026, the statement said.
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