Instead of waiting for jobs, the country’s youths should try to be entrepreneurs and innovative minded to meet the demand of the market, Education Ministry Nurul Islam Nahid said today.

He made the recommendations while addressing an inauguration programme titled Step Skills Competition 2017 organised by Technical Education board under Skills and Training Enhancement Project (STEP) at Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission of Agargaon in Dhaka.

The youths should be ready for jobs but not always, instead they must focus on being entrepreneurs, he said, adding, “It does not matter whether it is small or big.”

The number of jobs is fewer in the country compared to the number of general degree holders, he also said.

Dr Md Mostafizur Rahman, chairman of Bangladesh Technical Education Board (BTEB), and Md Alamgir, acting secretary of Technical and Madrasa Education Division, were also present among others.

A total of 162 polytechnic institutes will participate in the competition this year to be started on October 21. STEP has been organising the programme since 2014.