Bangladesh Employers’ Federation (BEF), in collaboration with the ProGRESS Project of ILO, Country Office for Bangladesh, organized and conducted a daylong “Advocacy Session on Apprenticeship System in Bangladesh” on 18th November 2024 at Conference Hall, SCCI, Chamber Building, Jail Road, Sylhet. The objective of the session was to raise awareness among employers about the apprenticeship system in Bangladesh and to promote cost-effective apprenticeship programs. The session specifically focused on advocating for the adoption of quality apprenticeships as a strategic response to future workplace challenges.
Mr. Asif Ayub, Joint Secretary-General of BEF, served as the resource person for the event. He opened the session by outlining the objectives and expected outcomes, employing participatory methods to engage attendees throughout the discussions. A summary of the discussions and a proposed way forward were also presented by him.
Mr. Foyez Hasan Ferdous, Acting President of The Sylhet Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) attended the session as the Chief Guest and also chaired the inaugural session by welcoming the participants and reiterating the importance of apprenticeship in Bangladesh. He also emphasized on arranging awareness raising sessions on apprenticeship with individual sector associations. Engr. Santosh Chandra Debnath, Principal of Sylhet Government Technical School & College was present as the Special Guest. Representatives from SCCI members, local sector associations, Technical School & College (TSC), Technical Training Center (TTC), private training institutions, employers and employees of private sector actively participated in the discussion.
The session was attended by a diverse group of 22 participants, including 4 females and 18 males, representing various sectors including business associations, employers, government and private training institutions, and local chambers. This collaborative effort underscored the importance of engaging multiple stakeholders in shaping an effective apprenticeship system that meets the needs of both employers and the workforce in Bangladesh.
