The government will launch an Employment Exchange and career fair in Dhaka in December as part of a broader initiative to create jobs and connect young people with employers.The programme will gradually be expanded to the divisional and district levels, said Mahdi Amin, the prime minister’s adviser on labour and employment and spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office.He made the remarks at a press briefing at the Ministry of Labour and Employment in the Secretariat yesterday.Mahdi said the initiative aims to turn young people into a skilled workforce and bridge the gap between demand and supply in the labour market.The prime minister firmly believes that empowering young people is essential for taking the country forward, he said.Digital platform to connect jobseekers, employersThe Employment Exchange will bring jobseekers and employers onto a common platform, Mahdi said.A database will contain information on the skills and qualifications of job-ready young people, while another database will capture the manpower requirements of local industries and businesses.The government plans to integrate the two databases into a national digital platform, allowing employers to identify suitable candidates and jobseekers to find relevant opportunities.The initiative will also focus on young people outside mainstream education and fresh graduates, he said.Career fairs across the countryRegular career fairs will be organised across the country to increase employment opportunities and strengthen links between industry and academia.At the district level, the fairs will help bring employers and educational institutions closer and identify employment opportunities in local industries, businesses and commercial organisations.The government also plans to build an employment-oriented ecosystem for jobseekers, including training on CV writing, skills development and job interview techniques.Candidates will be connected with relevant training and services through referrals to different government ministries and agencies.Support for overseas jobseekersYoung people planning to work abroad will also be brought under the platform.After registration, they will be linked with technical training centres and technical and vocational education programmes to help them acquire job-relevant skills.Both employers and jobseekers will be able to register with the Employment Exchange, Mahdi said.The government wants to create an ecosystem where a young person can state their career goal and be connected with the appropriate authority or service, he said.Six months of consultationsMahdi said the government had spent the past six months consulting industry representatives, academia, NGOs, government agencies and development partners before deciding to launch the programme.A specific employment target and roadmap will be unveiled at the formal launch in December, he said.Asked about the employment situation after August 5, 2024, Mahdi said some factories had closed, but the actual number was much lower than what had been circulated in various reports.Although some jobs were lost due to factory closures, new investments were being made, new factories were opening and efforts were underway to reopen some closed factories, he said.Regarding unemployment benefits, Mahdi said the government’s immediate priority was to turn young people into a skilled workforce. However, unemployment allowances could be considered in the future.Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury, ministry secretary Md Abdur Rahman Tarfadar and senior officials were present at the briefing.