Output has started coming from a government project undertaken to raise 1.5 million skilled workers by 2021 to feed the country’s key industries and external markets, officials said. On completion of their training, most of the skilled personnel are to be recruited in the country’s key industries, according to the project officials. The project, named Skills for Employment Investment Programme (SEIP), is being implemented at a cost of over US$1.0 billion. It was launched in July in the past fiscal year and would run until end of December 2021. The SEIP is being implemented by the finance division under the Ministry of Finance. “So far, more than 16,000 people have been trained and they are working both at home and abroad,” Md Khairul Islam, deputy executive project director, told the FE Sunday. He said this project has been taken up to meet planned development goals. “We need to improve the skill of the workers and mid-level managers, otherwise our development efforts will suffer,” said Mr Islam, also a joint secretary at the ministry of finance. There are three phases of training and the first one will come to an end in December 2017. In the first phase, some 260,000 people will be trained. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will make available US$350 million while government will provide US$200 million and Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC) US$ 30 million. Other development partners will provide funds from the second tranche that will start in 2018. They will provide US$400 million. The country’s private sectors are expected to contribute US$90 million during the period. The length of the training courses varies from one month to six months and the educational qualifications for the trainees have been fixed between primary school certificate and graduation level. The key project official said they have been working in conjunction with apex trade bodies like Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS). They will expand to other areas where potential job market is available. Of the targeted groups, the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training will soon start their training programmes under the project. They are providing training on 15 different subjects, including enhancing managerial capacity, technology, sewing operations, and computer literacy. “We’re giving funds, training modules being developed by the associations concerned but condition is that at least 70 per cent of job placements must be done,” Mr Islam said. The training is taking place at the 32 government institutions across the country. BGMEA-owned 19 training centres, BKMEA’s six and BTMA’s one are now providing training to youths in different parts of the country.
