Over 80 per cent of manpower of garment factories in Bangladesh think they need more training to face challenges of the 4th industrial revolution, according to a survey of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS). 

The BIDS conducted the survey among 119 firms, including 72 of knit and 47 of woven industries, in four locations in Dhaka and Chattogram division.

Delivering a presentation at BIDS Research Almanac 2023 at a hotel in the capital yesterday, Rizwana Islam, research associate of the BIDS, said the existing manpower believe more training would remedy the skills gap.

Of those believing in the necessity, 82 per cent are male and 84 per cent are female in the woven industry while 84 per cent are male and 88 per cent female in the knit industry.

Islam said they conducted their survey focusing the skills gap, mismatch and shortage.

Although the garment sector has the minimum shortage of manpower among other sectors, it still lacked skilled manpower notably in managerial posts, she said.

The notable deficits are in management, quality control and some of finishing operator posts, she added.

Besides, the survey found that there was a mismatch in the educational levels sought and that available in almost all categories of jobs.

"Only for quality inspectors in both the industries and printing and embroidery machine operators in the knit industry, survey firms show a matching of desired and actual qualifications of the employees," she added.

Skills enhancement programmes are needed focusing more on occupations where the gap is higher, said Rizwana Islam.

"Enterprises should have close linkages with training providers so that trainees could get internships in factories and in turn the enterprises will get good quality workers," she said.

The government should introduce training on computer programming, technical engineering, and design work so that the industry can work on product diversification and move to upper value chains of garment products, she said.