Bangladesh BGCCI inks MoU for garment workers' training

21 Nov '13

2 min read

The Bangladesh German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BGCCI) and the German development cooperation agency Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in order to set up a training school for garment sector workers in Bangladesh.

The MoU between the two entities was signed at the GIZ Dhaka office with the aim of addressing the issues of shortage of skilled workers and mid-level managers in the garment sector of the country, reports Dhaka Tribune.

Under the agreement, a pilot school would be set up by the Bangladesh Institute of Management (BIM), to provide technical, vocational and educational trainings (TVET) to ready-made garment (RMG) factory workers.

Around 300 mid-level workers from more than 100 RMG factories would be given the opportunity to attend the program and would be provided training at the pilot school.

Daniel Seidl, executive director of BGCCI, said the ready-made garment sector of the country is lacking skilled professionals for making better quality clothing that would result into higher revenue, and it was high time to address this issue.

Vocational training is essential for the garment sector which employs over 4 million workers who are not skilled enough, and the establishment of the training school would help in providing the knowledge and technical expertise that can result into better productivity, he added.

BGCCI president Sakhawat Abu Khair said the production efficiency in the RMG factories is as low as 20 to 40 percent and it can be increased to 50 percent through some fundamental training sessions.

Olaf Handloegten, country director of GIZ, said the lack of qualified workers and mid-level managers is a key constraint to the growth and diversification of Bangladesh’s RMG and textile sector, which is export oriented, and the country’s RMG sector’s reputation could be salvaged by meeting the shortfall of skilled workers.

The MoU was signed under the Promotion of Social and Environmental Standards in the Industry (PSES), a joint project of the Governments of Bangladesh and Germany, implemented by GIZ.

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