Why this project?

The labour market in Bangladesh is in transition; the emphasis is increasingly shifting from agriculture to industrial production and services. In line with the changing demand of labour, it is important that young people are trained for technical professions, such as electrician, mechanic, welder or as an operator in the fast-growing clothing industry. At present there is a lack of suitable training institutes, especially in rural areas, which results in stark numbers of youth unemployment.

 

The VTC

The SAKO Foundation and partner organization Aloshikha opened the doors of the Vocational Training Institute (VTC) in 2010. Every year about 120 new students are enrolled in its technical training program. Aloshikha has an annual influx of at least 30 female pupils, and aims to increase this percentage to 50%. Up to now, most girls have signed up to be trained as a tailor. In 2015, for the first time, female students started training as electricians, mostly with the aim of continuing their studies after secondary school. These girls are important role models for the community. In the first six years, more than 300 students have successfully completed their training. The success rate is around 85%. The majority of these students have found a job, started a small business, or were admitted to a follow-up study. One of the future plans of the VTC is to set up an alumni database, so that it becomes clear what students of the VTC do for a living.

For students who live too far away, Aloshikha offers the possibility of boarding school. There are simple facilities for a limited number of students to live on campus for the duration of their training.

 

A sustainable project

In the near future, Aloshikha strives to assign the running costs of the VTC to the government authority. Such transfer would safeguard the future of the VTC by making it a sustainable state-owned education institution. It would as well be a valuable contribution to the development of public education in Bangladesh. Self-reliance and sustainability are important principles for both SAKO and Aloshikha. A transfer from private initiative to government institute will works both ways: The vocational institute will continue to increase the job opportunities of rural youth, while the smooth-running institute of the VTC can function as a role-model for other public training facilities.

 

The curriculum

The training program of the VTC consists of both theory and practical lessons. The VTC follows the curriculum of the government, and students participate in the state examination at the end of the program. Basic courses such as Bangla, English and Mathematics are offered. The required textbooks and teaching materials are made available by the government. In addition, the students choose a practice. There are four vocational pathways: electrician, mechanic, welder, and tailor (garment worker). These practice areas are in high demand on the labour market, and require trained personnel. A possible practice area that will be added to the VTC’s educational program is a training for the function of computer operator, as there is a growing market for ICT.

In 2016, the government set up a computer room at the VTC, and Aloshikha received the budget to hire an instructor in the field of computer skills. Since 2017, all students of the VTC receive basic training on computer applications such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint. In addition, the computer room is rented out for private computer training after school. The income generated from this is is spent on maintenance work of the school.