The country's first IT training and incubation centre is set to start its operation in three months as part of the government's effort to train 480 youths in graphic and web designing and search engine optimisation.

ICT State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak will lay the foundation stone of Sheikh Kamal IT Incubation and Training Centre at the abandoned building of the old central jail in Natore today.

“This is a ready building and no big development work will be needed to establish the training centre here,” said Hosne Ara Begum, managing director of Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority, which will develop the centre.

The government has allocated Tk 9.13 crore for the project that will run up to June 2018.

The park authority will select secondary and higher secondary students for training and each batch will contain 30 students, she said.

“We have already developed the curriculum for the training centres with the help of experts, and trainers will also be hired to run the course.”

The training provided by the centre will also help the students qualify for jobs abroad, she said.

The BHTPA also plans to develop another six centres in Chittagong, Comilla, Sylhet, Barisal, Netrokona and Magura.

A software incubation centre will also be developed inside the training centre, where 10 companies will be able to setup their firms.

The incubation centre will start its operation in July next year.