BYLC Career Expo 2023 focuses on skills development

The BYLC Career Expo 2023 commenced on 10 June, urging youths to continuously update their skills to implement to stay ahead in a rapidly changing job market shaped by automation, artificial intelligence, and digitalisation.

With over 1,300 registered participants, more than 40 participating employer organizations, and 30 youth engagement and club partners, the Career Expo organised by Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center (BYLC), aims to link graduating students, fresh graduates, and young professionals with experts and professionals, reads a press release.

"The fear of AI making many human jobs redundant will only be realised through excessive dependence on technology instead of focus on innovation and creativity," said Jalal Ahmed, executive director, Ha-Meem Group, additional secretary (retired), Ministry of Finance.

The speakers encouraged youth to identify the skills necessary in their chosen fields while still pursuing education.

"Only a small percentage of skills studied in educational institutes are relevant in the professional field. Learning skills such as coding is not enough. Youth should learn new skills, practice them again and again, and implement them accordingly," said Dr Md Mokhlesur Rahman, senior operations officer at Education Global Practice, The World Bank.

Speakers, including Gunjan Bahadur Dallakoti, head of Programme and SME Development Specialist at the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Bangladesh, Mohammad Kamal Hosen, head of Corporate HR, DBL Group, and Md Moklesur Rahman, director, NGO Affairs Bureau, also stressed on the importance of soft skills such as emotional intelligence, communication, presentation, and leadership that can help youth navigate the uncertainties of an ever-evolving technological landscape.