Online skill development portal launched

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DHAKA, Sept 22, 2018 (BSS) – Access to information (a2i) programme with
the support of ICT Division, UNDP and USAID today launched ‘Skills Portal’
(skills.gov.bd) in the first session of the National Apprenticeship
Conference 2018 organized at the White Orchid Hotel in Cox’s Bazar.

Posts, Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister Mustafa Jabbar
inaugurated the portal at the function, an a2i press release said.

Inspector General of Department of Inspection for Factories and
Establishments Md. Shamsuzzaman Bhuiyan, Director General of Bureau of
Manpower, Employment and Training Md. Salim Reza, Director General of
Bangladesh Industrial Technical Assistance Center (BITAC) Dr. Md. Mafizur
Rahman, Director (Program) of Department of Social Services Abu Mohammad
Yusuf (Additional Secretary), Director (PIU) of Directorate of Technical
Education Md. Wahidul Islam and Chairman of Bangladesh Technical Education
Board Dr. Md. Mostafizur Rahman were present at the ceremony, among others.

Skills development activities of a2i are significant in achieving
sustainable development Goals (SDGs). Skills Portal (skills.gov.bd) is an
online platform for regular coordination and mentoring of various a2i skill
developments programs; assessing the demand of skilled manpower in the
industry; and connecting skill development organizations with various
industries.

There are three stakeholders of the portal: industrial establishments,
skill development organizations and unemployed men and women.

Through this portal the industrial organizations notify their skills
requirement, the skill development organizations register for their training,
and unemployed men and women get all the information about their skill
development, a2i sources said.

There are information about apprentice recruitment process, standard
technical trades, and various opportunities for the apprentices listed in the
skills portal.

Besides, the portal includes the names of the apprentice recruiting
industries, number of position, eligibility and skill development log book,
requirement of different technical and vocational training, training related
information, application of training and the methods of employment after
training.

Already 32,000 unemployed men and women have been trained through this
portal.

In the second session of the conference, round table meeting was held on
‘the role of development partner organizations for expansion of
apprenticeship program’ chaired by a2i Project Director Md. Mustafizur
Rahman.

Among others, Country Director of ActionAid Bangladesh, Farah Kabir; UNDP
Democratic Governance Portfolio Manager (oic), Mahmuda Afroz; Program
Director of Oxfam, M Badi Akhter; Senior Development Advisor of Global
Affairs Canada Riful Jannat; Skills and Employment Director of Sudokkho,
Suresh Mahto; and Program Officer of B-SEP Project, International Labor
Organization (ILO) Tanjel Ahsan discussed as panelists.