Classroom to Career: Shaping Bangladesh’s future workforce

The British Council hosted the Symposium on Employability: Learning and Development at its Fuller Road Auditorium in Dhaka on Monday, May 12.

The day-long event brought together policymakers, education experts, industry leaders, and youth representatives to address the pressing issue of graduate employability and workforce readiness in Bangladesh.

The symposium culminated a series of Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) led by the British Council with academic institutions, employers, and development professionals to better understand the skill gaps hindering the transition from education to employment. These FGDS revealed a significant gap between academic training and industry needs, highlighting the urgency for curriculum reform, experiential learning, and targeted career guidance.

K M Kabirul Islam, Secretary of the Technical and Madrasah Education Division at the Ministry of Education, attended the event as a special guest. Evan Frendo, Learning Consultant for English in the International Workplace, and Almeer Ahsan Asif, former Deputy Chief of Party of the USAID Bijoyee Project, participated as keynote speakers.

In his welcome remarks, Stephen Forbes, Country Director Bangladesh, British Council, said, 'This symposium underlines our commitment to aligning education and employment by facilitating conversations between academia, industry, and young people. We aim to promote a more agile and inclusive approach to learning and development, equipping graduates with the skills and adaptability they need in today's rapidly changing job market. It reflects the UK's priority to support inclusive and future-focused education globally, including in Bangladesh.' "The recent Focus Group Discussion facilitated by the British Council highlighted key gaps between education and employment. Today's graduates need more than just degrees—real-world experience, industry exposure, and digital fluency. Bangladesh, where over 60% of the population is under 35, has incredible potential. To unlock this potential, the Government of Bangladesh has placed skills development at the heart of our national agenda," said K M Kabirul Islam, Secretary of the Technical and Madrasah Education Division at the Ministry of Education.

He added, "We are working to equip young people with technical knowledge, soft skills, digital literacy, and workplace experience needed to succeed locally and globally. However, we cannot do this alone. We call upon our partners to join hands with us in preparing our youth for the future workforce."

The highlight of the event was the panel discussion titled 'From Classroom to Career: Building Skills Through Cross-Sector Collaboration', participated by Jesmin Ara, Assistant Director, Planning Wing, Department of Women Affairs, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Government of Bangladesh,  Samiul Islam, Managing Director - Monno Fabrics Ltd, Samaresh Saha, Senior Programme Manager, English and School Education at the British Council Bangladesh and Benazir Elahee Munni, Lecturer, Department of English, University of Dhaka and Tanjilut Tasnuba, Commonwealth Scholar and development professional. The panel explored innovative strategies to embed soft skills, digital literacy, and practical experiences into higher education curricula. Panellists stressed the importance of industry input in designing education programs that foster critical thinking, adaptability, and job readiness.

The symposium featured presentations on the findings from the FGDS conducted on Employability: Learning and Development, revealing critical skill shortages in areas such as communication, teamwork, and digital competency. The discussions emphasised the need for greater integration of career services within universities and better alignment between institutional offerings and market demands.

The event also featured the 'Voice of Youth,' featuring findings from a dialogue led by the Dhaka University Debating Society. Young participants expressed concerns over limited access to practical training, a lack of structured career counselling, and the need for more inclusive and equitable opportunities. Their insights added urgency to the call for systemic reforms empowering youth to shape their career trajectories confidently.

The symposium concluded with a networking session, encouraging collaboration among universities, employers, and development partners to formulate actionable plans for improving employability outcomes nationwide.