Lifelong Teaching is now demand of IR 4.0 edge

C.B.Desk: A virtual event titled “Industry-Academia Dialogue to Empower ICT Jobs”, on ICT skill, talent and job landscape for sensitizing young talented minds to get ready for the IR 4.0 edge, has been held on recently, hosted on virtual platform at University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh ULAB, in association with TechnTalents an ICT Job placement service provider and Bangladesh Society for Private University Academics (BSPUA).

The event was chaired by Dr. Bikarna Kumar Gosh, Managing Director, Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority (BHTPA)  as chief guest (though he regretted not to make it at last moment) while Tapan Kanti Sarker, President, CTO Forum Bangladesh was the special guest and Engr. Md. Enamul Kabir, Director, Bangladesh Computer Council has delivered the Keynote in the program.

The 3-hours program was glorified and vibrated with multiple events such as keynote on ICT Career Roadmap, Panel discussion session, Quiz Contest for ICT/CSE students, ICT companies’ job offers and overview of ICT job recruitment platform Techntalents. In the panel discussion, ICT industry leaders, Senior Academicians and HR professionals took part which was moderated by Mohammed Asif, Founder & Technopreneur, Techntalents and member of executive committee in CTO Forum, Bangladesh.

Engr. Md. Enamul Kabir, in his brief keynotes, has precisely portrayed the overall picture of ICT resource scenario with recent years statistics in respect of country’s Digital transformation growth. He has recommended to establish meaningful synergy between Govt.-Industry, Govt.-Academia, Industry-Academia and Job-seekers and Employer, in order to full-fill demand of skills/talents of ICT job market.

Prof. Syed Akhter Hossain, head of CSE department, ULAB has briefly shared the key challenges of universities for not being able to produce enough skilled ICT workforce for job market. He has highly emphasized Up-skilling of faculty members of universities, up-to-date CSE curriculum sync with the industry and role of University Grant Commission (UCG) in implementing industry specific recruitment in university teaching.

Tapan Kanti Sarker, has praised merits and quality of our young talented ICT graduates who are performing well in software and IT-enable services in freelancing works. He has advised industry, academia and government to extend formalized supports to scale-up them to compete global job market.

Syed Mamnun Quader, Managing Director and CEO, Southtech Group with his 25 years of industry experiences, appreciated Universities’ efforts of gradually producing and nurturing quality talents in CSE/CIS education.

Prof. Dr. Farid Sobhani, President, BSPUA and Head of Business faculty in United International University (UIU), focused on the issue of employability crisis of job seekers, comparing the employer-dominated job market of Bangladesh verses employee-driven job market of Europe and USA. However, most of the speakers echo on the point that Lifelong education is now demand of IR 4.0 edge.

S M Ashraful Islam, Executive, Vice-chairman of eGeneration Limited and M J Ferdous Director & COO of Brain Station 23 Ltd. has also took part in the panel discussion. An overview on Techntalents ICT Job platform has been presented, highlighting how the platform is bridging the gap of ICT skills in between Employers and job seekers by automated profile screening and recommendation matching with job requirements. Brain station 23 Ltd. and Southtech Ltd., the two leading ICT and Software Solutions Provider Company has presented their company’s working environment, people and culture and their partnership with Techntalents in ICT employee sourcing.

The program was ended with vote of thanks by Prof. Syed Akhter Hossain, Head of CSE department, ULAB followed by Prize Announcement Ceremony for the Quiz Contest winners.