Staff Correspondent

The Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF), in partnership with the World Bank, has successfully generated immediate employment for 1,788 skilled young apprentices through 23 job fairs organized across the country.

 The initiative is part of the Recovery and Advancement of Informal Sector Employment (RAISE) Project, which serves as an effective business and social model aimed at transforming the country’s vast youth population into productive human resources. Out of the total instantly recruited candidates, 587 are female apprentices, marking a significant step toward gender inclusion in the informal sector.

This massive employment drive comes at a critical time when Bangladesh is striving to capitalize on its demographic dividend. Currently, nearly two-thirds of the country's population is of working age, with one-third being youth. However, converting this demographic strength into economic growth remains a steep challenge due to a severe lack of quality employment and a mismatch between conventional education and market demands. 

With roughly 20 to 22 lakh youths entering the labor market annually, a large portion faces the risk of falling into the NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) category. Experts have long warned that without immediate intervention, this demographic asset could turn into an economic burden, particularly since over 85% of Bangladesh's total employment is concentrated in the informal sector.

To address this crisis, the RAISE project bypasses traditional classroom-bound training center models in favor of an entirely market-driven, workplace-based apprenticeship system. Under this framework, apprentices receive hands-on training directly from experienced master craftspersons, locally known as Ostads, in real working environments. This setup aligns training with actual production, effectively reducing the skill mismatch to zero. The comprehensive six-month training program includes a curriculum set to national qualification standards, daily monitoring through logbooks, and a final independent external assessment to ensure the apprentices are fully prepared for the professional world.

The project maintains rigorous quality and inclusivity standards by selecting Ostads based on a minimum of five years of practical experience, a safe working environment, and a willingness to teach. To break social and cultural barriers, the recruitment of female Ostads is prioritized for female apprentices. 

During the training period, master craftspersons receive a monthly honorarium of Tk 1,500 along with social recognition, while apprentices are provided a total stipend of Tk 21,000 disbursed in three installments to ensure retention. Beyond technical capabilities, participants undergo 40 hours of specialized modules covering behavioral skills such as communication, leadership, time management, and addressing workplace gender discrimination.

The long-term efficacy of this model has been validated by a recent joint tracer study by PKSF and the World Bank on RAISE apprentices. The survey revealed that an impressive 88% of project-affiliated apprentices managed to secure employment shortly after completing their training. Among them, 64% entered wage-based employment, while 24% achieved self-employment as independent entrepreneurs. To scale this success and bridge the gap between skilled labor and employers, the project has planned a total of 91 job fairs across the country through PKSF's partner organizations, with 23 editions already completed. These initial fairs drew 4,808 job seekers and saw the submission of over 3,400 resumes.

A total of 41 formal corporate entities and 156 informal enterprises participated in these fairs, including prominent conglomerates such as Samsung, Square Toiletries, Square Foods, Walton, Transcom, Pran-RFL, Singer, Kiam, Youngone, Suzuki Motors, Karupannya, Nabil Group, Ayesha Abed Foundation, Bdjobs, Symphony, Metador, Anwar Group, and Nagad. 

Top employers highly praised the initiative. Samsung Industries Bangladesh described the job fair as an excellent platform to connect with potential talent, noting that the life skills and positive mindsets acquired by the apprentices during their six-month training would immensely benefit the workplace. 

Similarly, Bdjobs.com recognized the event as a timely bridge between skilled human resources and employers, expressing interest in providing future career counseling services. Square Toiletries Limited also lauded the far-reaching impact of the project, stating that the fair successfully delivered candidates tailored to current industrial demands.

Despite these achievements, organizers highlighted that the high job mobility and frequent workplace changes among informal sector youth remain a major challenge, as it quickly makes employment databases obsolete. To counter this, policy specialists suggest the establishment of a National Online Employment Bureau or a dedicated digital platform. This system would allow both employers and employees to update their information regularly in exchange for micro-incentives like mobile recharges or cash benefits, ultimately providing policymakers with long-term data to understand macroeconomic labor market dynamics. 

Established by the government in 1990, PKSF continues to serve as the country’s premier development financing institution, focusing on decent employment, risk mitigation, and capacity building to foster an equitable and resilient nation.