Dhaka pushes for stronger partnerships with Australia in the realm of skill training.
Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam has requested the Australian envoy to strengthen ties between Bangladesh's Technical Training Centres (TTCs) and Australia's Technical and Further Education (TAFE) system. This collaboration is aimed at skill development and language training for Bangladeshi youth.
The discussions, which took place during recent diplomatic meetings with Australia's High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Susan Ryle, also included trade, investment, migration, visa facilitation, and technical education cooperation. The Foreign Secretary expressed Bangladesh's growing demand for Australian commodities and suggested that Australia could explore the Bangladeshi market further.
One of the future plans for this partnership involves sending Australian TAFE instructors to Bangladesh TTCs to provide direct training. This is expected to strengthen institutional linkages and improve the quality and relevance of vocational and technical training. The goal is to foster skill development and language training to enhance employability for Bangladeshi youths in both domestic and international labor markets.
The Australian High Commissioner, Susan Ryle, recently paid a courtesy call on the Foreign Secretary. During the meeting, the envoy conveyed Australia's readiness to forge enhanced cooperation in all areas of mutual interest. She also praised Bangladesh's commitment to multilateralism.
The Australian envoy expressed satisfaction over the signing of the SOP to address illegal migration between Bangladesh and Australia. She also assured Australia's active support for the early repatriation of the Rohingyas to their homeland.
The Foreign Secretary thanked the Australian government for relocating the visa processing centre in Dhaka. He also emphasized the importance of deepening cooperation, including the involvement of Australian instructors being sent to Bangladesh to support this collaboration.
This engagement reflects a growing bilateral focus on technical and vocational education to support Bangladesh’s workforce development aligned with international standards. While no detailed timelines or specific projects have been publicly disclosed yet, the articulation by high-level officials indicates a strong commitment to expanding this partnership in the near future. The Australian envoy also conveyed her country's willingness for continued engagement with Bangladesh in regional and multilateral forums.
The talks between the Foreign Secretary and the Australian High Commissioner highlighted the potential for deepened cooperation in technical and vocational education, with a focus on online learning and education-and-self-development for Bangladeshi youth. This collaborative venture aims to equip young Bangladeshis with market-relevant skills, thereby improving their employability in both local and international labor markets.
In line with this commitment, the planning stages for this partnership involve the deployment of Australian TAFE instructors to Bangladesh's TTCs, an initiative intended to enhance the quality of vocational and technical training through direct instruction and the strengthening of institutional linkages.
