The role of higher education for sustainable employment in Bangladesh

Abstract

Considering Bangladesh’s sustainable development, the employability of students is truly essential. However, skills development is essential for further employability, where higher educational institutions might play an extraordinary role. Although a large number of students graduate each year from Bangladesh, a regrettably high percentage of them do not find employment. Therefore, this study intends to unearth how students view the role that educational institutions play in their employability. A deductive research approach and a mixed method have been emphasized to build a conceptual framework for the study. Participants were chosen based on snowball and purposeful sampling methods. Bangladesh’s higher educational institutions’ role in students’ employability is comparatively modest but promising. Due to the lack of a well-revised curriculum, educational institutions face extreme trouble confirming student employment. In addition, their job-related practical knowledge and skills are woefully inadequate, and they did not portray themselves as competent providers of soft skills. Nonetheless, it is promising that institutions have produced flourishing outcomes in students’ motivational enrichment, supporting career guidance programs, and basic skills like presentation and group work. However, basic skills are lacking in maintaining diversity. This paper suggests paying regular attention to students’ networking programs, hard skills, and action plan development. It also emphasizes maintaining diversity in extracurricular activities.