An Analysis of Human Resource Development Infrastructure and Prospects of Overseas Employment: Bangladesh Perspective

Abstract

Bangladesh being the most densely populated countries of the world burdened with 4.2% unemployment rate accounting for 2.6 million jobless population. The situation is further exacerbated when 13.8 million underemployed population is added with the unemployedpopulation. Malnutrition, insecurity, and wide spread social disorder are some of the manifestations of the curse of unemployment. Sensing the severity of the consequences, the government of Bangladesh had been promoting overseas employment since the 1970s. Presently, over 9.5 million Bangladeshis remit above 18 billion USD which is the second highest source of foreign currency. But, there are scopes for further growth,if one takes in to consideration the example of The Philippines. Only 5.2 million Filipinos remit above 34 billion USD with its most efficient global skilled human resource (HR). On the contrary, Bangladeshi HR are mostly unskilled who remain vulnerable to job cut and job reduction. Besides, 4.0 Industrial Revolution (IR) technologies, i.e. artificial intelligence (AI), 3 D printing, nanotechnology, genetic engineering, and big data analysis etcetera taking place at a whirlwind speed. Most of the migration destination countries are highly developed, hence technological transformation in those countries are happening at an exponential pace. Hence, Bangladesh must resort to skills development through a comprehensive Human Resource Development (HRD) programme to remain relevant in the rapidly evolving technological transformation. In the light of the above discussions, the main objectives of the research is ‘to ascertain most demanding skills need and analyse HRD infrastructure in Bangladesh to imparting demand based skills training for overseas employment’. The research construction followed a combination of qualitative and quantitative method. Quantitative data were collected from stratified sample of Bangladeshi expatriates (n=120) on judgemental and convenience method through a pre-coded survey questionnaire. Qualitative information were collected following specific tools like KII, FGD, and case study. Besides, information were also collected through study of books, journals, reports, newspapers, and internet searches. The research hypothesis ‘more the demand based HRD through skills training, more there will be overseas employment opportunities’has been examined and tested using SPSS software. The study found, there is effect of demand based skilled HRD on overseas employment (β=.753) and a strong positive linear relationship exists between demand based skilled HRD and overseas employment (r =.753). The research identified, both challenges and opportunities in overseas employment. Challenges exists for un-skilled and opportunities for skilled HR. Nurses, age care giver, medical assistant, masons, plumbers, electricians, rod binders, wielders, skilled construction workers, doctors, engineers, lawyers, teachers, statisticians, data analysts, web designers, genetic engineers, and computer specialists, etcetera occupations have huge demand for employment. In addition to the occupational qualifications, certain soft skills are universal requirement, i.e. talent, self-discipline and assertiveness, intellectual capacity, adaptability, learning skills, communication, analytical, and behavioural skills, and ability to work in a cross cultural environment etcetera. Unfortunately, Bangladeshi expatriates’ skills do not match with the international soft skills standard. Bangladeshi skills training infrastructure and HRD programme is yet to be conducive to making global standard HR.Technological averseness, mismatch between skills needed and skills offered, memorization dependent education and training curricula, theory based obsolete courses and syllabus, and the quality of teaching and training infrastructures etcetera are the drawbacks inthe HRD infrastructures. The study finally suggests, a holistic approach and paradigm shift from age old theory based memorization dependent education system to technology based practical oriented global standard learning pedagogy.Major infrastructural modification is required for HRD in the field of education and training. Organized institutional soft skills training on communication, analytical and interpersonal behavioural skills, intelligence enhancement, and learning skills etcetera should be incorporated in the national educational curriculum.