Experts highlight gap between technical skills and global demands, outline steps taken

A seminar on the mismatch between the skills of the technical workforce in Bangladesh and the fast-changing demands of global industries was held at the BIM, Sobhanbagh in the capital.

The ongoing and proposed initiatives of the Bangladesh Institute of Management (BIM) in helping address the crisis was also discussed at the event, read a press release.

The seminar titled "Green Jobs and Industrial Safety Management: The Role of BIM in Engaging Employers and TVET" was aimed at discussing the need to strengthen the employability of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) graduates by aligning their competencies with the evolving needs of industries.

The seminar brought together policymakers, industry leaders, technical education administrators, employers, human resource professionals, development partners and academics to deliberate on emerging industrial skill requirements, green jobs, industrial safety management and stronger collaboration between industries and the TVET sector.

At the event, Abdur Nasar Khan, secretary, Ministry of Industries, emphasized that Bangladesh's aspiration for sustainable industrial development depends largely on developing a skilled technical workforce capable of meeting the demands of modern industries. He highlighted the growing importance of green skills, industrial safety and industry-oriented technical education, and stressed the need for stronger partnerships among government, industries, TVET institutions and BIM to improve the employability of technical graduates.

Abul Khair Md Akkas Ali, director general, Directorate of Technical Education (DTE); Mohammad Naveed Shafiullah, additional secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Engineer Md Ruhul Amin, chairman, Bangladesh Technical Education Board (BTEB); Md Salim Ullah, director general of Bangladesh Institute of Management (BIM); and Dr Mohammad Nazmi Newaz, senior management counsellor at BIM; were also present at the seminar.

Abul Khair Md Akkas Ali emphasized the need to align TVET with evolving industrial demands through stronger industry participation in curriculum development, practical training and competency assessment. He appreciated BIM's initiative to this end, and reaffirmed DTE's commitment to collaborating to improve the employability of TVET graduates.

Mohammad Naveed Shafiullah stressed that sustainable industrial growth depends on stronger collaboration among government, industry and educational institutions.

Engineer Md Ruhul Amin emphasized the importance of modernizing the TVET curriculum to meet changing industrial needs. He highlighted the need for stronger industry engagement in curriculum development, apprenticeship and certification, and expressed BTEB's willingness to work with BIM to enhance graduate employability.

Md Salim Ullah reaffirmed BIM's commitment to supporting national industrial development by serving as a bridge between industries and technical education. He highlighted BIM's ongoing initiatives to enhance the employability of TVET graduates through industry engagement, professional development and policy dialogue.

Dr Mohammad Nazmi Newaz outlined the changing nature of industrial management, the increasing importance of green jobs and industrial safety, and the need to strengthen collaboration among industries, employers and TVET institutions. He also presented BIM's proposed initiatives to promote specialized career pathways in industrial safety management and other emerging occupational areas for TVET graduates.

The discussion highlighted that while Bangladesh has made remarkable progress in expanding technical education, industries continue to face shortages of skilled technical personnel due to the mismatch between training outcomes and labour market requirements. Participants emphasized the need to modernize curricula, expand apprenticeship and internship opportunities, promote industry-led competency development and strengthen institutional collaboration to address this gap.

The seminar concluded with a collective commitment to work towards developing a future-ready technical workforce through stronger partnerships among government, industries, BIM, employers and technical education institutions. Participants expressed optimism that BIM would continue to play a catalytic role in improving the employability of TVET graduates while contributing to Bangladesh's sustainable industrial transformation and green growth agenda.

Bangladesh Institute of Management (BIM) reaffirmed its commitment to undertaking further research, policy dialogue, professional training and stakeholder engagement to support green industrial development, industrial safety management and enhanced employment opportunities for technical education graduates in Bangladesh.