28,800 youths to get training in freelancing

The Department of Youth Development (DYD) is seeking approval for a Tk300 crore project to train 28,800 youth in freelancing across 48 districts within the next two years.

The initiative aims to create employment opportunities and increase foreign exchange earnings by equipping young people with relevant skills.

The proposal will be presented to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday.

In 2022, DYD launched a smaller-scale project worth Tk47.5 crore, aiming to train 6,400 youths in freelancing skills across 16 districts. The project's completion deadline is June 2024.

As of October 2023, 64% of the trained individuals secured freelance work, and 21% found employment in various sectors. Their collective earnings reached approximately $4.07 lakh.

While the core focus remains on freelancing, the training curriculum includes additional essential skills. Participants will receive instruction in basic English, computer office applications, graphic design, video editing, digital marketing, smartphone-based freelancing, and soft skills development.

This comprehensive approach equips youths with well-rounded abilities to thrive in the digital economy.

Abdul Baki, a member of the Socio-Economic-Infrastructure-Division of the Planning Commission, emphasised the project's potential to increase foreign exchange earnings and combat the dollar crisis.

He highlighted the government's commitment to such initiatives, given their positive impact.

Meanwhile, DYD Director General Dr Gazi Md Saifuzzaman said that around 1,800 participants have completed training, and 1,200 have already generated Tk12 crore in foreign currency.

He emphasised the need to replicate this success nationwide to address the challenges faced by a significant youth population.

The new project targets unemployed youth, particularly the 2.5 crore categorised as "not in education, employment, or training" (NEET). By equipping them with freelancing skills, it aims to increase their employability and contribution to the national economy.

Dr Saifuzzaman also highlighted the project's cost-effectiveness compared to similar initiatives by the ICT department. 

Bangladesh youth face skills development gap

The 2022 Sample Vital Registration System report by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) reveals a significant skills gap among Bangladeshi youth.

Notably, over 40.67% of youth (18-35 years) are categorised as NEET, indicating a lack of formal skills development opportunities.

The report highlights a significant gender disparity within the youth. The proportion of females categorised as NEET is 61.71%, almost three times higher than males (18.59%). This disparity persists across rural and urban areas and all administrative divisions.

Sylhet division exhibits the highest rate (43.98%) of NEETs, while Barishal division has the lowest (38.32%). This suggests a need for targeted interventions to address regional disparities.

Statistics from the BBS' latest labour force survey reveal 23.1 lakh unemployed individuals in the country by December 2022, representing a 40,000 increase compared to the previous year.

DYD's proposed project acknowledges information technology as a critical field in the modern era. Without skilled IT professionals, essential sectors like offices, courts, businesses, tourism, entertainment, communication, banking, insurance, medicine, and research face disruption.

The proposal recognises that developed countries, with their advanced IT capabilities, often outsource work to developing nations. Educated Bangladeshi youth, equipped with relevant IT skills, can seize this opportunity to secure employment and generate foreign currency.

Bangladesh's recent transition to a developing nation coincides with an increase in unemployment, exacerbated by the pandemic and returning expatriates.

The project aims to address this challenge by empowering educated youth through freelance IT opportunities, potentially reducing unemployment and poverty.