Staff Reporter, Dhaka: Swisscontact Bangladesh’s Uttoron project, funded by Chevron’s Bangladesh Partnership Initiative, recently signed an agreement to establish a training institute in Sylhet.
This Public-Private Partnership (PPP) offers an impetus to achieve the Bangladesh government’s Sustainable Development Goals per the Skills Development Policy 2011, said a release on Tuesday.
The Uttoron project will be working with Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) to convert existing infrastructure into a training facility. The training facility will have an initial capacity to provide training to 1,200 youths annually on four industry-demanded trades (electrical installation and maintenance, welding, plumbing pipe fitting, and housekeeping).
The agreement ceremony was graced by the presence of Ariful Haque, Mayor of Sylhet City Corporation; Eric M. Walker, President of Chevron Bangladesh; Muhammad Imrul Kabir, Corporate Affairs Director of Chevron Bangladesh; and Mujibul Hasan, Country Director of Swisscontact were present at the agreement signing ceremony at Westin Dhaka.
Sylhet City Corporation Mayor Ariful Haque said, “Lack of skilled workers is one of the biggest challenges our country is facing right now. Unfortunately, as a result of this, we are losing business to our competitors. The only way to encounter this is by creating a more skilled workforce, providing appropriate training, and equipping them for the market’s ever-changing demands.”
He expressed his gratitude to Chevron and Swisscontact for making possible such an important initiative.
Chevron Bangladesh’s President, Eric M. Walker said, “The training facility will provide an excellent platform to kick-start the technical and vocational careers of thousands of youths, bringing about long-term, sustainable improvements for them, and the families that depend on them.”
Swisscontact Bangladesh’s Country Director, Mujibul Hasan said, “Since its inception, Swisscontact has believed that access to skills, knowledge, markets, technologies and financial services will give people the ability to liberate themselves from the shackles of poverty. The Uttoron project is a prime example of what the Swisscontact believes and wants to uphold.”
