Skilling the youth in a pandemic
Approximately 63% of Bangladesh’s population is within the age group of 15-49. The demographic dividends that can follow from leveraging this age group can only be enjoyed if the workforce is equipped with the right skills and knowledge.Now more than ever, with the 24.5 million people newly pushed into poverty, providing employment opportunities is vital in order to combat the poverty induced by the pandemic.
Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) is strategically placed to provide a country’s strong economic development, especially in times of a pandemic. Its contributions within a pandemic can be divided into three phases.
In the initial phase, TVET education can step in during a pandemic where educational institutions and business enterprises are closed, by lessons provided online. The middle phase, where educational institutions and business enterprises gradually reopen, with more employment opportunities for the TVET graduates on a limited scale. During the rehabilitation phase, the education and employment sectors undergo structural change. This phase consists of predicting these structural changes, and providing customised TVET education to the youth. As such, TVET participation amongst the youth is a way forward towards sustainable livelihood, ultimately boosting the country’s economic development in times of a pandemic.