Bridging the gap between classrooms and workplaces

Bangladesh today is producing more graduates than ever before, yet employers continue to struggle to find workers with the right skills. This contradiction is reflected sharply in global benchmarks: Bangladesh ranks 106th out of 139 economies in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025, with an especially low placement of 133rd in the human capital and research indicators. The numbers tell a clear story, but so does real life. Picture a young graduate in Mymensingh clutching his degree with quiet hope. He excelled in university, yet months and years pass without a job. His frustration is shared by countless students nationwide for whom a degree is not a passport to opportunity but a waiting room of uncertainty.

The scale of the crisis is undeniable. Nearly 13.5 percent of university graduates remain unemployed, the highest among all education levels. One in every three unemployed Bangladeshis today is a university graduate. Each year, around 700,000 new graduates enter the job market, but only 300,000 jobs are created. Employers regularly say that many graduates lack the technical, practical or communication skills required for modern workplaces. At the same time, many industries hire foreign professionals for mid- and higher-skilled roles.

Several structural issues underpin this mismatch. Much of our education system still relies on theory-heavy, lecture-based teaching with limited practical exposure. Many public universities and National University colleges face resource constraints, outdated curricula, weak faculty development and limited engagement with industry. As a result, students graduate with strong memorisation skills but relatively weak problem-solving, teamwork or digital competencies. Meanwhile, the global labour market is moving rapidly towards automation, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, digital services and advanced manufacturing, fields where our classrooms have barely begun to adapt.

Another persistent gap lies in the weak collaboration between academia and industry. In many countries, universities associate with companies to design curricula, offer internships and conduct joint research. In Bangladesh, such partnerships remain sporadic. A Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) survey found nearly 28 percent of National University graduates unemployed, despite the simultaneous presence of thousands of foreign workers filling skilled roles that local graduates could have occupied with the right training.

Yet this crisis, while serious, is entirely solvable. The government can play a transformative role by adopting a set of forward-looking, pragmatic strategies. First, Bangladesh should expand international exposure for students through global exchange programmes, overseas internships and funded participation in international competitions, conferences and workshops. Even virtual internships with multinational firms can provide valuable experience for young graduates. Small examples of such initiatives already exist; scaling them under a national flagship programme, perhaps a “Bangladesh Global Talent Initiative”, would dramatically enhance the capability and confidence of our youth.

Second, the government must strengthen industry-academia collaboration. Incentives such as tax benefits, grants or recognition programmes can encourage companies to set up labs, research centres, apprenticeships or innovation studios inside universities. Early examples, from telecom and banking sectors partnering with universities to offer industry-linked master’s programmes, should be replicated widely. Curriculum modernisation, with active input from employers, is essential if universities are to keep pace with evolving market demands.

Third, Bangladesh needs a curriculum overhaul that embeds technical skills, soft skills and digital literacy from school to university. Making vocational and technical education compulsory at the secondary level, as floated in several political proposals, would be a decisive move. Alongside this, the country should adopt multilingual education. English remains essential, but introducing other global languages in schools and colleges would open vast international employment avenues. However, reforms must extend beyond slogans. Teacher training, modern materials and assessment reforms are crucial to make real change.

Fourth, the government should normalise part-time work, apprenticeships, freelancing and remote jobs for students. Bangladesh is already one of the world’s largest suppliers of online freelancers, yet millions more could join with minimal support. Local government bodies and private companies could offer structured part-time roles or micro-internships, allowing students to gain experience while studying. This shift in culture, from “study first, work later” to “learn while working,” would significantly reduce the transition gap between education and employment.

Fifth, Bangladesh must fully activate its growing ecosystem of innovation hubs, incubators and ICT parks. These centres should become dynamic spaces where young people can experiment, build prototypes, gain mentorship and launch startups. Stronger government and private-sector collaboration here could help convert frustrated job seekers into job creators, turning the much-feared “brain drain” into a powerful “brain gain.”

Amid these long-term solutions, political discourse often gravitates towards quicker, more populist promises such as unemployment allowances. While the idea may offer temporary relief, it is financially unsustainable and does little to address the underlying problem. With nearly a million jobless graduates, cash stipends are not a substitute for structural reforms. On the other hand, proposals such as BNP’s plan to introduce third-language learning and strengthen skill-based education reflect a more constructive direction, if implemented with sincerity, resources and accountability.

Our youth are talented, ambitious and ready to contribute. What they need is an ecosystem that prepares them for the world they are stepping into. If the government can catalyse reforms, from global internships to curriculum modernisation, from innovation hubs to industry partnerships, our graduates will not only find jobs at home but also compete successfully abroad. Over time, Bangladesh could shift from a country struggling with educated unemployment to a nation powering its growth through skilled, confident and globally competitive youth.The opportunity is immense, but so is the urgency. The time to act is now, before another generation of degrees leads to another generation of dead ends.

Hasibul Islam Rafi is an international consultant for UNDP Asia and the Pacific.

Views expressed in this article are the author's own. 

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