H.E. Sheikh Hasina, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, has officially opened the Center of Excellence for the Bangladesh Apparel Industries (CEBAI), during a ceremony held at the Dhaka Apparel Summit at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre, Dhaka on 7th of December, 2014.
The Center of Excellence is an initiative supported by the International Labour Organization of the United Nations (ILO), the Swedish government, leading Swedish fashion retailer Hennes and Mauritz (H&M), and the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
Based in Ashulia, a ready-made garment (RMG) cluster area close to Dhaka, the Center of Excellence will help meet the need for a skilled labour force in the RMG sector by providing competency-based training in areas where demand from the industry is greatest.
The Center of Excellence will also train supervisors and managers on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), disability inclusion, workers’ rights and responsibilities. The skills level of existing workers from the RMG Sector will be assessed through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and certified as the basis for improved wages.
The project will deliver training and certification for instructors, industry trainers and assessors and briefings for managers and executives of enterprises. Consistent with employment trends of the RMG sector, most beneficiaries will be women and there is a 5 per cent target to include people with disabilities.
Srinivas B Reddy, ILO country director for Bangladesh said, “The Center of Excellence aims to effectively meet employers’ needs for skilled staff, while at the same time would help workers attain decent work” said.
Atiqul Islam, the president of BGMEA said, “By answering a clear demand from industry, the Center of Excellence should become self-funding and we expect to see these centers replicated to serve the needs of the RMG sector across Bangladesh.”
Reaz Bin Mahmood, the vice president (Finance) of BGMEA said, “CEBAI had been set up to demonstrate and implement skills development and research initiatives and was a major step towards realising a sustainable sector.”
Mr Johan Frisell, the ambassador of Sweden to Bangladesh said, “By supporting the Center of Excellence, Sweden wants to raise the opportunities for people living in poverty, and especially women, to contribute and benefit from inclusive economic growth.”
Jenny Fagerlin, sustainability manager for H&M in Bangladesh said, “The Center will help industry overcome challenges relating to recruiting and retaining skilled personnel while empowering the workforce and contributing to the development of the country.” (GK)
